416— The effects of early life trauma on anxiety and alcohol use is modified by environment

Early life trauma is a risk factor for later anxiety and alcohol use disorders. However, the role of the post-trauma environment on the development of such disorders is not well understood. In the present study we investigated experience-dependent changes in anxiety and alcohol use after exposure to early trauma. Young mice (day 23) were exposed to a predator odor (synthetic fox pheromone, TMT) and then reared in either standard (SE) or enriched environments (EE). Adolescent anxiety and conditioned fear were reduced in EE-males, but not EE-females. Adult mice were then tested for their preference to drink alcohol. Alcohol intake escalated across sessions for all mice, however, EE mice had overall lower levels of alcohol use. Interestingly, exposure to TMT affected alcohol preference in EE mice, but not standard mice. Findings demonstrate the environment as a developmental modifier of post-trauma anxiety and alcohol use disorders.