Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Impacts of Perinatal Ethanol Exposure in Dunkin-Hartley Guinea Pigs: A Comparative Study of Spontaneous Locomotion, Spatial Memory, and Brain Development

Authors

  • Gaurav Mude
  • Shantilal Singune
  • Raghvendra Dubey

Keywords:

Perinatal Ethanol Exposure,, Dunkin-Hartley Guinea Pigs, Neurobehavioral Assessment, Spatial Memory Impairment, Brain Development

Abstract

Perinatal ethanol exposure (CPEE) is an established risk factor for enduring neurodevelopmental deficits. This research investigates the behavioural, cognitive, and neuroanatomical effects of early ethanol exposure in Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs. Male and female guinea pigs (550–650 g) were treated humanely in accordance with IAEC guidelines and allocated to either an ethanol-treated group or a nutritional control group. Ethanol (4 g/kg) or isocaloric sucrose was administered weekly through oral gavage, and blood ethanol concentrations (BEC) were measured using headspace gas-liquid chromatography. Spontaneous locomotor activity was evaluated on postnatal day 10 utilising an infrared-equipped open-field arena. Beginning on postnatal day 21, subjects underwent assessments for spatial learning and memory using either the dry-land Biel maze or the rewarded alternation Y-maze. The Biel maze evaluated navigation accuracy, errors, and latency to reward, whereas the Y-maze examined working memory and choice behaviour under delayed conditions. Animals were euthanised with halothane between postnatal days 150 and 200, followed by the extraction and weighing of their brains. Statistical analyses comprised t-tests and two-way ANOVA, employing Bonferroni corrections. No sex differences were observed; the data were aggregated. Guinea pigs exposed to ethanol exhibited heightened hyperactivity, extended trial durations, increased errors in spatial tasks, and markedly reduced brain weights relative to control subjects. The findings suggest that CPEE adversely affects motor regulation and cognitive function, probably as a result of neuroanatomical alterations

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Published

2025-06-21

How to Cite

1.
Mude G, Singune S, Dubey R. Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Impacts of Perinatal Ethanol Exposure in Dunkin-Hartley Guinea Pigs: A Comparative Study of Spontaneous Locomotion, Spatial Memory, and Brain Development. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025Jun.21 [cited 2025Jul.19];14(32S):1333-44. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/7567

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 32S (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

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Original Article

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