CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL ISOLATION STRESS FROM ADOLESCENCE ON THE STIMULATING EFFECT OF ETHANOL: INVOLVEMENT OF LATERAL HYPOTHALAMUS

Chronic exposure to stress is a significant risk factor for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD). Social isolation during adolescence is an animal model used to investigate the consequences of social stress during this critical phase of brain development. Chronic exposure to stressors can lead to dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and increased vulnerability to AUD.