Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Adolescent Rats on Anxiety-Like Behavior and Alcohol Consumption into Adulthood

James, Isabella

Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Adolescent Rats on Anxiety-Like Behavior and Alcohol Consumption into Adulthood

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57780

Author(s)

James, Isabella

Date Issued

April 3, 2024

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains a significant global health concern, contributing to millions of preventable deaths annually. Despite extensive research on AUD, the interplay between sleep disturbances during critical developmental periods, such as adolescence, and subsequent alcohol consumption and anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood remains inadequately understood. Chronic sleep deprivation in adolescence is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for heightened susceptibility to substance use disorders, as this period is crucial for neurodevelopment, marked by significant changes in brain function related to decision-making, emotional regulation, and reward processing. Disruptions in sleep during adolescence can disturb neurotransmitter balance and neurocircuitry, leading to lasting alterations in behavior and mental health. Thus, the intricate relationship between chronic sleep deprivation, alcohol use, and subsequent anxiety-like behaviors is crucial to study given the enduring impact of early-life experiences on long-term health outcomes. The present study explores the potential link between chronic sleep deprivation during adolescence and subsequent alcohol consumption and anxiety-like behavior in female rats during adulthood. Adolescent female Sprague Dawley rats underwent sleep deprivation or served as controls, followed by anxiety assessment using the elevated plus maze (EPM). In adulthood, rats were provided access to alcohol, and anxiety-like behaviors were retested post-alcohol exposure. Sleep deprived rats showed heightened anxiety-like behaviors during adolescence but did not exhibit exacerbated anxiety in adulthood. However, they displayed increased alcohol intake and preference, indicating an impact on reward-seeking behaviors. These findings underscore adolescents’ vulnerability to early-life stressors like sleep deprivation and highlight the importance of addressing sleep health and stress management to prevent the onset of substance use disorders later on in life.

Major

Neuroscience

Honors

Neuroscience, 2024

First Reader(s)

Bertholomey, Megan L.