Aged rats have sex-dependent hypothermic effects but not spatial memory impairments following acute alcohol administration.

INTRODUCTION: The age of the world's population is continuing to increase, and older individuals are continuing to consume alcohol. Preclinical animal research has demonstrated that aged animals are significantly more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than younger animals and the effect of alcohol in aged animals is often sex dependent. METHODS: The current project investigates if acute alcohol administration produces sex dependent effects in hypothermia and spatial memory impairments in aged female and aged male Sprague Dawley rats. RESULTS: Acute alcohol administration produced sex dependent effects in that hypothermia in female rats was significantly greater following administration of 1.0 g/kg alcohol but not following 2.0 g/kg alcohol. However, spatial memory impairments were similar between aged female and aged male rats following a 1.0 g/kg alcohol challenge. DISCUSSION: The current results demonstrate in aged animals that alcohol administration produces sex dependent effects in some tasks and highlight the importance of determining the impact of alcohol in older adults as well as younger subjects.