INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE AND CAFETERIA DIET ON COGNITION AND METABOLIC HEALTH IN RATS

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a global issue affecting at least 9% of newborns and is associated with cognitive deficits and adverse metabolic outcomes, including increased susceptibility to obesity. Importantly, PAE has also been associated with selective eating and impaired food intake regulation; however, it remains unknown whether this PAE-associated increased susceptibility to cognitive and metabolic impairments are due to PAE alone or from interactions with postnatal dietary habits. Here, we investigated the unique and combined effects of PAE and cafeteria diet on cognitive and metabolic function in rats. Pregnant dams were assigned to either an ad libitum liquid ethanol diet (PAE) or ad libitum pelleted diet (Control) throughout gestation. After weaning, PAE and control offspring were grouped into two diets: 1) cafeteria (CAF) diet: an obesogenic diet consisting of palatable, calorically dense foods; or 2) Standard (STD) rodent chow diet for 11 weeks. We assessed spatial and non-spatial memory via novel object and place dual recognition (NOPDR) task. Further, we assessed body weight, daily food intake, insulin resistance, and energy expenditures, and examined body composition longitudinally. NOPDR analysis showed deficits in recognition memory in PAE males on CAF, whereas all CAF females retained this ability. PAE was associated with altered insulin sensitivity, compromised skeletal integrity, and hyperactivity particularly in females. CAF promoted greater body weight and shifts toward carbohydrate utilization, with notable interactions in PAE males showing heightened weight gain and activity. These findings suggest that CAF exacerbates cognitive and metabolic effects of PAE in a sex-specific manner.