# Sex-specific Mechanisms of Ethanol Withdrawal During Adolescence

> **NIH NIH P50** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NY,BINGHAMTON · 2024 · $266,054

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
MAIN 4
Early initiation of alcohol use during adolescence and subsequent binge drinking put young individuals at high
risk for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), with young girls more likely to escalate alcohol consumption over
boys. Similar to these human studies, our current work in the DEARC demonstrated enhanced sensitivity of
female rats to ethanol withdrawal-related negative affective-like behavioral alterations during early adolescence
relative to males. Both sexes were equally affected by withdrawal from chronic exposure when tested in late
adolescence. The central amygdala (CeA) is primarily composed of a GABAergic cell population that is sensitive
to acute and chronic ethanol and is highly implicated in withdrawal-associated anxiety. The CeA is also
responsive to input from sexually dimorphic oxytocin and vasopressin neuropeptide systems. The current
proposal will address critical gaps in our understanding of sex differences in sensitivity to ethanol withdrawal
during adolescence. Aim 1 will assess withdrawal effects during early or late adolescence, focusing on sex
differences in CeA function, connectivity and CeA GABAergic cell activity in adolescent rats. Aim 2 will similarly
investigate CeA function, connectivity and CeA GABAergic cell activity in both sexes during withdrawal from
chronic ethanol exposure. Finally, Aim 3 will test whether vasopressin and/or oxytocin neuropeptide systems
sex-dependently contribute to withdrawal-related negative affect and CeA dysfunction in adolescents.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10740450
- **Project number:** 2P50AA017823-16
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NY,BINGHAMTON
- **Principal Investigator:** David F Werner
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $266,054
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2009-09-01 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10740450

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10740450, Sex-specific Mechanisms of Ethanol Withdrawal During Adolescence (2P50AA017823-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10740450. Licensed CC0.

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