# Supp: Effects of Adolescent Alcohol Exposure on Hippocampal Function in Adulthood

> **NIH NIH U01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $64,752

## Abstract

The NADIA consortium is dedicated to identifying the mechanisms underlying the long-term effects of
adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure (AIE) on brain and behavior and exploring approaches to prevent or
reverse them. Component 1 has focused on the enduring effects of AIE on hippocampal structure and function
and their behavioral sequelae. Based on our findings, our overarching hypothesis AIE causes an enduring but
reversible compromise of hippocampal synaptic function driven by interacting epigenetic, neuroinflammatory,
and glial mechanisms. During the last NADIA funding cycle we found that AIE produces a pro-inflammatory
milieu in the hippocampal formation, alterations of dendritic spine density and morphology, altered histone
acetylation and methylation, diminished astrocyte-synaptic proximity, decreases in neurogenesis, and
increases in the mobilization cell death molecular machinery. Through NADIA collaborations, we further
identified epigenetic changes that suggest specific molecular mechanisms underlying those effects.
Importantly, we have also shown that many of those effects are reversible in adulthood with pharmacological
agents in current clinical use. Our recent findings indicate that AIE results in a propensity toward anxiety-like
behavior after environmental challenge, thus suggesting the need to expand our assessments to the ventral
hippocampus. This has obvious translational implications because anxiety and stress reactivity are strong
predictors of AUD development and relapse, and suggests that some of the AIE-induced changes we have
observed in the dorsal hippocampus may be similar in the ventral region.
This supplement to promote diversity in alcohol-related research capitalizes on our current work and
collaboration with a Historically Black College & University, North Carolina Central University. This supplement
expands our research in the parent grant Aim 2 to identify mechanisms underlying AIE-induced
hippocampal inflammatory markers by determining the role of these inflammatory markers on hippocampal-
associated memory tasks. Moreover, this supplement expands the research training, professional
development, and scientific network of an underrepresented minority doctoral graduate student.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10396916
- **Project number:** 3U01AA019925-12S2
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** H SCOTT SWARTZWELDER
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $64,752
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2010-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10396916

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10396916, Supp: Effects of Adolescent Alcohol Exposure on Hippocampal Function in Adulthood (3U01AA019925-12S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10396916. Licensed CC0.

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