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Moderate‐Level Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Induces Sex Differences in Dopamine D 1 Receptor Binding in Adult Rhesus Monkeys
Author(s) -
Converse Alexander K.,
Moore Colleen F.,
Holden James E.,
Ahlers Elizabeth O.,
Moirano Jeffrey M.,
Larson Julie A.,
Resch Leslie M.,
DeJesus Onofre T.,
Barnhart Todd E.,
Nickles Robert J.,
Murali Dhanabalan,
Christian Bradley T.,
Schneider Mary L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.12575
Subject(s) - offspring , prenatal stress , prenatal cocaine exposure , prefrontal cortex , striatum , medicine , endocrinology , rhesus macaque , dopamine , alcohol , pregnancy , psychology , physiology , prenatal exposure , neuroscience , biology , cognition , biochemistry , genetics , immunology
Background We examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and/or prenatal stress exposure on (D 1 R) binding in a non human primate model. The dopamine D 1 R is involved in executive function, and it may play a role in cognitive behavioral deficits associated with prenatal alcohol and/or stress exposure. Little is known, however, about the effects of prenatal alcohol and/or stress exposure on the D 1 R. We expected that prenatal insults would lead to alterations in D 1 R binding in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum in adulthood. Methods Rhesus macaque females were randomly assigned to moderate alcohol exposure and/or mild prenatal stress as well as a control condition during pregnancy. Thirty‐eight offspring were raised identically and studied as adults by noninvasive in vivo neuroimaging using positron emission tomography with the D 1 antagonist radiotracer [ 11 C]SCH 23390. Radiotracer binding in PFC and striatum was evaluated by 2 (alcohol) × 2 (stress) × 2 (sex) analysis of variance. Results In PFC, a significant alcohol × sex interaction was observed with prenatal alcohol exposure leading to increased [ 11 C]SCH 23390 binding in male monkeys. No main effect of prenatal alcohol or prenatal stress exposure was observed. Conclusions These results suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure results in long‐term increases in prefrontal dopamine D 1 R binding in males. This may help explain gender differences in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders consequent to prenatal alcohol exposure.