Localized brain differences in Arc expression between mice showing low vs. high propensity to ethanol sensitization

• DBA/2 mice differ in their locomotor response to repeated ethanol (EtOH).
• Regional brain activity patterns were compared at two time points in HS and LS mice.
• Arc levels decreased throughout the brain in HS and LS mice compared to controls.
• After an EtOH challenge, Arc increased in the central amygdala in LS and control mice.
• Central amygdala activation may serve to inhibit the stimulant effects of EtOH.

Behavioral sensitization to ethanol (EtOH) manifests as a progressive and enduring increase in locomotor activity with repeated drug exposure. However, not all mice sensitize to EtOH and the neuronal mechanisms mediating vulnerability and resistance to EtOH sensitization remain unclear. We examined regional brain expression of the immediate early gene activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) in order to identify brain areas in which neuroplastic changes may contribute to the development and expression of EtOH sensitization.Male DBA/2J mice received 5 biweekly injections of EtOH (2.2 g/kg, i.p.) or saline (SAL). They were categorized as high- (HS) or low-sensitized (LS) on the basis of final locomotor activity scores. In both LS and HS mice sacrificed after the last sensitization injection, Arc expression was decreased throughout the brain in comparison to SAL animals. A similar pattern was seen in mice sacrificed after an EtOH challenge two weeks after the last sensitization injection. However in this cohort, Arc expression was significantly increased in the central amygdala (CeA) in LS mice and in SAL mice receiving EtOH for the first time. No significant increases in Arc expression were seen in brains of sensitized (HS) animals.These results indicate an acute EtOH challenge results in different patterns of Arc expression in brains of LS, HS, and SAL mice. The dramatic increases in Arc expression in the CeA in LS and SAL mice showing little or no behavioral activation suggests that neural activity in this region may serve to inhibit the stimulant effects of EtOH. The observation that HS mice do not show increases in Arc expression with an EtOH challenge suggests the possibility that increased tolerance to the Arc-inducing effects of EtOH may be a factor in behavioral sensitization.