Exercise as an Intervention Against Neuroinflammation During Binge Drinking Withdrawal

Exercise as an Intervention Against Neuroinflammation During Binge Drinking Withdrawal

Alvin Sherman Library

Binge drinking, a public health concern in the United States, is associated with negative emotional and cognitive effects during alcohol withdrawal. These effects are believed to result from changes in brain regions involved in stress regulation, emotion, and decision-making, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Alcohol exposure has been shown to increase neuroinflammation in these regions, which may contribute to anxiety-like behaviors and difficulty regulating emotions during withdrawal. In contrast, aerobic exercise is a promising non-pharmacological intervention that has been shown to reduce anxiety and support brain health. This project investigates how exercise can reduce withdrawal-related anxiety-like behaviors, following binge-like ethanol exposure, by decreasing neuroinflammation in the aforementioned key brain regions. Using a rodent model, mice underwent repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol exposure using a Drinking in the Dark paradigm, followed by a period of treadmill exercise during withdrawal. Behavioral assays assessing anxiety-like behavior and locomotor activity were used to evaluate exercise-induced changes. Ongoing analyses examine markers of neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus to determine whether exercise selectively reduces alcohol-induced brain inflammation. Sex differences are also being explored to assess whether exercise has different effects across males and females.