# Long term consequences of adolescent alcohol use on behavioral inhibition

> **NIH NIH R21** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $182,875

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Adolescence is a “vulnerable” period because certain experiences in this period lead to detrimental lasting
effects. A critical example is teenage drinking which may predispose them to life-long adverse consequences
including impulsivity and impaired response inhibition. In this exploratory R21 application, we propose to
exploit a rodent behavioral model to begin to understand the neuronal basis of the long-term consequences of
voluntary adolescent drinking on response inhibition. Using a novel behavioral task, we find that moderate
voluntary intake of alcohol during adolescence causes a robust reduction in response inhibition in both male
and female adult rats. Guided by basic and clinical literature suggesting that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and
dorsal striatum (DS) are critical for action-guided learning and impulsivity, we propose two exploratory aims to
begin to understand the computational and circuit-based involvement of these two regions in mediating or
modulating impaired response inhibition in adults with a history of adolescent alcohol drinking. In Aim 1, we will
record from multiple units and local field potentials (LFPs) simultaneously in lateral OFC and medial DS during
task performance to determine if neural encoding of relevant task events and OFC-DS coordinated activity is
affected in correlation with behavioral changes. In Aim 2, we will use a chemogenetic approach to manipulate
OFC-DS connections to determine the potential causative role of this pathway on the sustained impact of
adolescent alcohol use on adult impulsivity. Regardless of the outcome, completion of this exploratory work will
provide technical and mechanistic knowledge to support future more comprehensive studies on the neuronal
basis of the lasting impact of adolescent alcohol use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10831949
- **Project number:** 5R21AA030141-02
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** BITA MOGHADDAM
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $182,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-05-01 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10831949

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10831949, Long term consequences of adolescent alcohol use on behavioral inhibition (5R21AA030141-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10831949. Licensed CC0.

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