Effects of Adolescent Ethanol Exposure on Taste Sensitivity and Preference in Male and Female Mice
Authors: Primeaux Jolie , Ha Linh , Wills Tiffany , Primeaux Stefany 
Published: May 2024

Adolescent alcohol use is prevalent in the U.S. and there is increasing evidence that neural and behavioral consequences of adolescent alcohol use may differentially alter the developing neural circuitry in males and females. Taste has been implicated in the preference for and intake of alcohol and alcohol exposure regulates taste perception. Data from our laboratory indicate that adolescent ethanol exposure (AIE) significantly alters lingual expression of fat and sweet taste receptors and decreases the density of fungiform papillae in male and female mice. The goal of the current study was to examine the effects of adolescent ethanol exposure (AIE) on the taste preference thresholds for fat and sweet tastants in male and female C57/Bl6 mice. Mice (postnatal day (P)27) were exposed to intermittent ethanol vapor or volatilized water. The AIE protocol was run for two, 4-day cycles of 16h in-chamber sessions and 8h out-of-chamber sessions separated by 3 days from P27-P35. Ethanol vapor chambers were maintained to achieve blood alcohol concentrations ~ 200mg/dL. One week following the last ethanol exposure, mice (n=9-10/group) were given access to two bottles, one containing a control solution and one containing increasing concentrations of either sucrose or linoleic acid. A single concentration of sucrose was presented to each mouse for 48 hours [0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0%]. Following access to all concentrations of sucrose, a single concentration of linoleic acid (in 0.3% Xanthan gum) was presented to each mouse for 48 hours [0.0025, 0.025, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0%]. Following access to linoleic acid, each mouse received a solution of 1.0% sucrose plus 0.25% linoleic acid for 24 hours. Total intake of the tastant was determined and the preference for each concentration was calculated. A percent intake of 50% is indicative of no preference between solutions. Mice preferred the sucrose solution to the control solution at all concentrations tested. Males had a higher preference for 0.25% sucrose than females and significant effects of AIE and sex were detected at 2.0% sucrose, with males demonstrating a higher preference for sucrose and mice exposed to AIE exhibiting a higher preference for the sucrose solution. No preference or aversion for lower concentrations of linoleic acid were detected (0.0025-0.25%) in females, however, AIE significantly decreased linoleic acid preference (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%) compared to air-exposed females. Linoleic acid preference at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% was significantly lower than the preference for the control solution and was considered aversive in females. Males were able to detect linoleic acid at lower concentrations than females, and males exposed to AIE exhibited a higher preference for 0.025% linoleic acid, compared to air-exposed males. Linoleic acid at concentrations of 0.025, 0.25 and 2.0% were significantly lower than the preference for the control solution and were considered aversive in males. In males exposed to AIE, the 1.0% sucrose/0.25% linoleic acid solution was preferred over the control solution. These data support our previous findings that ethanol exposure, using this model, significantly alters taste receptor mRNA expression on the circumvallate papillae and fungiform papillae density in adolescent male and female mice. Further understanding of ethanol’s effect on taste sensitivity is needed to better understand the long-term effects of adolescent ethanol exposure on food and beverage preferences and consumption patterns. NIH AA028011 T.W. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.