Postnatal choline supplementation improves sleep in a rat model of developmental alcohol exposure
Abstract
Abstract Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe physical, neuropathological, and behavioral alterations caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Caretakers often report that children with FASD experience sleep problems. However, interventions to improve sleep have not been well‐studied in this population. Interestingly, supplementation with the essential nutrient choline can attenuate many behavioral alterations associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Moreover, choline is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurochemical that is also involved in sleep–wake modulation. Using an animal model, this study investigated the effects of developmental alcohol exposure on sleep and examined whether postnatal choline supplementation can modulate sleep alterations associated with FASD. Methods Sprague–Dawley rat pups received ethanol (5.25 g/kg/day, 11.9% v/v) or sham intubations from postnatal days (PD) 4–9, a period of development equivalent to the human third‐trimester brain growth spurt. Subjects then received subcutaneous injections with choline chloride (100 mg/kg/day) or saline from PD 10–30. On PD 32–37, subjects were individually housed to measure sleep–wake behaviors using the PiezoSleep Adapt‐A‐Base System. Sleep parameters, including sleep time, bout length, and number, were recorded. Results Ethanol‐exposed subjects, particularly females, slept less during the dark cycle. In addition, females exposed to developmental alcohol…
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