Studies in humans suggest that women are more vulnerable than men to the many medical consequences of alcohol abuse. However, studies into possible gender differences in alcohol-induced brain damage in adults have proven inconclusive. The findings presented herein evidence that during the same period of chronic ethanol treatment, female mice are more susceptible than male mice to ethanol-induced neuroinflammation, astrogliosis and reduced MAP-2 positive neurons. These findings further evidence females’ susceptibility to the neurotoxic effects of ethanol and support the data which demonstrate greater vulnerability of female vs. male binge drinkers to the toxic effects of ethanol.