Voluntary beer drinking by pregnant rats: offspring sensitivity to ethanol and preference for beer.

Female Long-Evans rats were allowed voluntary access to beer, food and water for three weeks prior to mating and throughout gestation; and were compared to controls. Offspring were tested for sensitivity to ethanol and preference for beer at 29 and 85 days of age. Offspring of beer drinkers had long-term alterations in sensitivity to ethanol as adults, although rates of ethanol metabolism were unaffected. The nature of responsivity to ethanol as adults was sex-dependent. Male offspring of beer drinkers were delayed in maintaining baseline body temperature at 29 days with recovery at 85 days; and were tolerant to the hypothermic effects of ethanol at 29 and 85 days. Female offspring had prolonged latency to respond to pain and temperature; and were tolerant to the effects of ethanol on motor coordination at 29 and 85 days. Although preference of the offspring for beer was not affected by maternal beer drinking, the pattern of fluid intake by offspring of beer drinkers differed from controls.