| Abstract: | The present study evaluated the effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol on the acoustic startle reflex and prepulse inhibition in rats. Pregnant rats consumed an average of 12.36 g/kg/day of ethanol in a saccharin solution which served as their sole fluid source throughout gestation. Their offspring were found to be developmentally delayed on tests of physical maturation, but were not consistently impaired on tests of neuroreflexive development when compared to pair-fed and ad lib control groups. With development, subjects in the ethanol exposed group exhibited enhanced reactivity to an acoustic startle stimulus, which was evident at 35 but not at 21 days of age. In contrast, general activity levels were similar for all groups at 35 days of age, and there was no apparent disruption of the inhibitory effects of a prepulse stimulus. These results provide evidence that in utero exposure to alcohol may result in age dependent hyperreactivity, with no obvious disruption of normal prepulse inhibition or general activity levels. |
