Protection against alcohol-induced neuronal and cognitive damage by the PPARγ receptor agonist pioglitazone.

•The PPARγ agonist pioglitazone reduces alcohol-induced neurodegeneration.•Pioglitazone prevents alcohol-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.•Pioglitazone prevents alcohol-impaired reversal learning ability in an operant task.•Pioglitazone improves reference memory in the Morris water maze task.•Pioglitazone prevents alcohol-induced deficits in spatial learning.