Paraquat exposure produces sex-dependent reduction in binge-like alcohol drinking in high alcohol-preferring mice.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) are disorders that involve similar dopaminergic neurobiological pathways and dysregulations in motivation- and reward-related behaviors. This study explored whether exposure to a PD-related neurotoxicant, paraquat (PQ), alters binge-like alcohol drinking and striatal monoamines in mice selectively bred for high alcohol preference (HAP), and whether these effects are sex-dependent. Previous studies found female mice are less susceptible to PD-related toxicants compared to male mice. Mice were treated with PQ or vehicle over 3 weeks (10 mg/kg, i.p. once per week) and binge-like alcohol [20% (v/v)] drinking was assessed. Mice were euthanized and brains were microdissected for monoamine analyses by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). PQ-treated HAP male mice showed significantly decreased binge-like alcohol drinking and ventral striatal 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels compared to vehicle-treated HAP mice. These effects were absent in female HAP mice. These findings suggest that male HAP mice may be more susceptible than female mice to PQ's disruptive effects on binge-like alcohol drinking and associated monoamine neurochemistry and may be relevant for understanding neurodegenerative processes implicated in PD and AUD.