Fig. 7

Females display reduced avoidance and increased compulsive behavior during protracted abstinence (2–4 weeks) from chronic binge alcohol drinking. A–D Open field test (OF). A EtOH females, but not males, spent a greater % time in the center of the OF compared to CONs. B This effect emerged across the 30 min assay. C EtOH mice of both sexes had a shorter latency to enter the center of the OF. D There was no effect of sex or alcohol history on locomotion in the OF. E, F Elevated plus maze (EPM). E EtOH females, but not males, spent a greater % time in the open arms of the EPM compared to CONs. F There was no effect of sex or alcohol history on total distance traveled (m) in the EPM. G–H Light–dark box (LDB). G There was an interaction between sex and alcohol history for % time spent in the light side of the LDB but no differences in direct comparisons. H There was no effect of alcohol history or sex on locomotion as measured by the number of dark side entries. I, J Novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF). I EtOH females, but not males, had a reduced latency to eat the fruit loop compared to CONs. In addition, males had shorter latencies than females. J There was no effect of sex or alcohol history on post-test home cage food consumption. K Marble burying (MB). EtOH females, but not males, buried more marbles than CONs. In addition, males buried more marbles than females. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001 in 2xANOVA main effects of and interactions between sex and EtOH, 3xRM-ANOVA main effects of and interactions between sex, EtOH, and time, and post hoc t-tests with H–S corrections as indicated. ^$P < 0.10 for post hoc t-tests with H–S corrections between M and F