Analysis of Spontaneous Behavior Patterns of Male Rhesus Macaques Exposed to Voluntary Ethanol Consumption Over Two-Year Period
- Authors: Kirgintsev R.M.1, Pavlova L.E.1, Timina M.F.1, Panchenko A.V.1, Panchenko A.V.1
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Affiliations:
- Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
- Issue: Vol 106, No 3 (2025)
- Pages: 397-406
- Section: Experimental medicine
- Submitted: 19.09.2024
- Accepted: 24.01.2025
- Published: 30.05.2025
- URL: https://kazanmedjournal.ru/kazanmedj/article/view/636226
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.17816/KMJ636226
- EDN: https://elibrary.ru/PCLEIU
- ID: 636226
Cite item
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The onset of mental disorders associated with chronic ethanol use without dependence and safe threshold for alcohol consumption remain unclear.
AIM: To describe changes in the spontaneous behavior patterns of rhesus macaques in response to long-term alcohol consumption in a free-choice model.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Behavioral responses of mature male rhesus macaques were evaluated using the ethogram-based time-interval method. The study included six animals with low ethanol consumption and eight animals with high ethanol consumption. Ethanol consumption was measured prior to (baseline) and during the initiation period (62 days) and at the start and end of the phase of alcohol motivation maintenance (688 days of continuous access to 4% ethanol and water). Two 30-day withdrawal periods were completed in the middle and end of the motivation maintenance phase. Analysis of variance was conducted using the Kruskal–Wallis test.
RESULTS: During the initiation phase and two motivation maintenance periods, the median ethanol consumption was 0.6, 0.5, and 0.8 g/kg/day for the low-consumption group and 1.6, 2.4, and 2.8 g/kg/day for the high-consumption group, respectively. The animals from the high-consumption group demonstrated a 9% decrease in body weight by the end of the observation period (p = 0.030). Ultrasound examination showed no hepatic or cardiac abnormalities. The baseline intergroup differences in stereotypy (p = 0.023), front-of-cage position (p = 0.023), and sitting position (p = 0.006) persisted throughout the experimental period. At the end of the motivation maintenance phase, the low-consumption group revealed a lower frequency of the slumped posture (p = 0.035). However, an increase was noted in the frequency of the front-of-cage position in the high-consumption group (76%; 60%–98% confidence interval; p = 0.006) compared to baseline (48%; 28%–63% confidence interval), which remained increased in the subsequent withdrawal period (83%; 53%–95% confidence interval; p = 0.008).
CONCLUSION: The 2-year alcohol consumption of male rhesus macaques in the free-choice model induced transient and prolonged changes in the spontaneous behavior patterns of the animals.
Keywords
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About the authors
Roman M. Kirgintsev
Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
Author for correspondence.
Email: feelmade.inc@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4453-6811
SPIN-code: 8210-7467
ResearcherId: ACY-1999-2022
Postgraduate Student, Junior Research Associate, Lab. of Molecular Biology
Russian Federation, 177 Akademika Lapina st, Veseloe village, Adler district, Sochi, 354376Laura E. Pavlova
Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
Email: pavlova_laura@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0638-0986
SPIN-code: 1437-4004
Research Associate, Lab. of Molecular Biology
Russian Federation, 177 Akademika Lapina st, Veseloe village, Adler district, Sochi, 354376Maria F. Timina
Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
Email: free_marshmallows@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1916-238X
SPIN-code: 2506-1965
Postgraduate Student, Junior Research Associate, Lab. of Molecular Biology
Russian Federation, 177 Akademika Lapina st, Veseloe village, Adler district, Sochi, 354376Andrey V. Panchenko
Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
Email: ando_pan@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5346-7646
SPIN-code: 4741-1855
ResearcherId: B-7345-2016
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Leading Research Associate, Scientific Lab. of Carcinogenesis and Aging
Russian Federation, 177 Akademika Lapina st, Veseloe village, Adler district, Sochi, 354376Alla V. Panchenko
Kurchatov medical primatology complex — National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute»
Email: shmaliy.a.v@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1294-751X
SPIN-code: 6426-5271
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine), Assistant Professor, Head of Quality Assurance of NBICS-pt
Russian Federation, 177 Akademika Lapina st, Veseloe village, Adler district, Sochi, 354376References
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