Chronic mental stress in early ontogenesis increased risks of development for chemical and non-chemical forms of addiction

BACKGROUND: Exposure to acute or chronic stress contributes to the occurrence of various disorders of the central nervous system, psycho-emotional sphere, as well as increases the risks of development of various forms of addiction. AIM: The aim of the study is analyze the influence of maternal deprivation on voluntary alcohol consumption in adolescents and to determine the degree of the signs of compulsive behavior in experimental animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats were taken in the research. A maternal deprivation model was carried out from day 2 to day 12 of the postnatal period (MD). Compulsivity (compulsive tendency) was evaluated in the ball burial test. Voluntary alcoholization with 10% ethyl alcohol solution in a two-bottle test was employed. Level of progesterone in blood plasma was determined by enzyme- immune analyses. RESULTS: Changes in the level of progesterone in blood plasma in MD and control group of animals were detected. In the test of two bottles 10% of ethanol solution presented on days 2 and 3, statistically significant differences in consumption were determined in contrast to the control group. In the test of balloon diapering, MD group of animals showed a statistically proved significant increase in compulsiveness both before the beginning of voluntary alcoholization and on day 3 from the start. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in compulsivity and voluntary ethanol consumption was significantly higher in the MD group, that is comparable to the increased level in blood plasma progesterone samples.