[Effects of Long-Term Ethanol Consumption on Learning-Memory Functions in Mice and the Mechanisms Involved].

Objective: To investigate the effect of long-term ethanol consumption on learning-memory functions in mice and the mechanisms involved. Methods: Thirty male C57BL6/J mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups, with 10 mice in each group. The three groups included a control group in which the mice were given water Results: Morris water maze test showed that, compared with those of the control group, the times of crossing the platform and the percentage of platform time in the EtOH group and the EtOH+G group were both lower, and the EtOH+G group had the lowest results ( Conclusions: Both long-term ethanol consumption and long-term alcoholism can reduce learning-memory functions and long-term alcoholism has the greater impact of the two. The potential mechanism may involve the down-regulation of the expression of SIRT3 protein in the hippocampus, which results in an increased level of pan-acetylation and enhanced expression of oxidative stress protein in the hippocampus, affects the mitochondrial functions of the brain, inhibits the oxidative phosphorylation capacity of mitochondrial complex Ⅱ, reduces the ATP energy supply of the brain tissue, and thus affects the learning-memory function.