Selali Adjoa Blege | 2024 I.S. Symposium

Name: Selali Adjoa Blege
Title: The Effect of Magnesium on Alcohol Intake and Locomotor Sensitization
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: French & Francophone Studies
Advisors: Alfredo Zúñiga; Claudia Thompson

Alcohol use disorder poses a significant societal burden, necessitating research efforts to mitigate its impact on mortality rates. While existing studies have explored magnesium’s effects on alcohol addiction during later stages, limited attention has been given to its potential benefits at earlier phases of alcohol use disorder. This study aimed to investigate whether oral magnesium supplementation could influence alcohol intake in 18 C57BL/6J mice randomly assigned into one of three groups: EH (n=6), EM (n=6), or MH (n=6). The EH group had access to increasing concentrations of ethanol and water, while the EM group had access to ethanol and magnesium (50g/L of magnesium sulfate in tap water). Finally, the MH group had access to magnesium and water. Following 12 days of voluntary drinking, all mice were given a single intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (20%, 2g/kg) and tested for locomotor sensitization. Contrary to the original hypothesis, magnesium increased 3% ethanol intake. There were no differences between groups in the locomotor sensitization test. Further research is needed to determine optimal magnesium dosages, timing of administration, and underlying mechanisms. These findings contribute to the ongoing exploration of magnesium as a preventive and therapeutic avenue for alcohol dependence and withdrawal.

Posted in Symposium 2024 on May 6, 2024.