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Effects of binge-like ethanol drinking on nest building behavior in mice.

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Title: Effects of binge-like ethanol drinking on nest building behavior in mice.
Authors: Silva-Borges AL; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Mail Code MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA., Barkley-Levenson AM; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Mail Code MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA. abarkleylevenson@salud.unm.edu.
Source: Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2025 Nov 18; Vol. 15 (1), pp. 40457. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Nov 18.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Nature Publishing Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101563288 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2045-2322 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20452322 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Sci Rep Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: London : Nature Publishing Group, copyright 2011-
MeSH Terms: Nesting Behavior*/drug effects , Ethanol*/adverse effects , Binge Drinking*/physiopathology , Alcohol Drinking*, Animals ; Male ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects
Abstract: Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Nest building is a natural behavior that can readily be analyzed in mice in the home cage environment. Nest building is involved in thermoregulation, positive motivational states, and motor function, and alterations in this behavior have been proposed as an index for ethanol withdrawal severity in mice. However, nest building outcomes after voluntary ethanol consumption have not been examined. Here, we tested male and female C57BL/6J mice on a 4-day drinking in the dark (DID) paradigm of binge-like drinking with either ethanol or a water control and analyzed nest scores at two timepoints (48 h and 7 days) after the last DID session. At 48 h after the last DID session, there were no differences between the two groups in nest quality. At 7 days after DID, ethanol-drinking animals showed significantly lower nest scores than the water group (z = -2.369, p = 0.030). No differences were found between the ethanol- and water-drinking groups in locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior at this timepoint in an open field test, indicating that nest building deficits in the ethanol group were likely not due to underlying differences in these behaviors. Together, these results validate the use of nest building as a naturalistic assessment of post-ethanol behavioral changes following voluntary binge-like drinking.
(© 2025. The Author(s).)
Comments: Update of: bioRxiv. 2025 Jun 06:2025.06.03.657694. doi: 10.1101/2025.06.03.657694.. (PMID: 40502196)
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Grant Information: R00 AA027835 United States AA NIAAA NIH HHS; R00AA027835 United States AA NIAAA NIH HHS
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Alcohol; Binge drinking; Mice; Nest building; Withdrawal
Substance Nomenclature: 3K9958V90M (Ethanol)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251118 Date Completed: 20251118 Latest Revision: 20251125
Update Code: 20251125
PubMed Central ID: PMC12627708
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-24138-w
PMID: 41253899
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.<br />Nest building is a natural behavior that can readily be analyzed in mice in the home cage environment. Nest building is involved in thermoregulation, positive motivational states, and motor function, and alterations in this behavior have been proposed as an index for ethanol withdrawal severity in mice. However, nest building outcomes after voluntary ethanol consumption have not been examined. Here, we tested male and female C57BL/6J mice on a 4-day drinking in the dark (DID) paradigm of binge-like drinking with either ethanol or a water control and analyzed nest scores at two timepoints (48 h and 7 days) after the last DID session. At 48 h after the last DID session, there were no differences between the two groups in nest quality. At 7 days after DID, ethanol-drinking animals showed significantly lower nest scores than the water group (z = -2.369, p = 0.030). No differences were found between the ethanol- and water-drinking groups in locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior at this timepoint in an open field test, indicating that nest building deficits in the ethanol group were likely not due to underlying differences in these behaviors. Together, these results validate the use of nest building as a naturalistic assessment of post-ethanol behavioral changes following voluntary binge-like drinking.<br /> (© 2025. The Author(s).)
ISSN:2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-24138-w