Abstract
The effect of chronic exposure to ethanol on hypothalamic and pituitary endorphin levels of rats and golden hamsters was studied. In rats, chronic ethanol consumption caused a decrease in the level of immuno-reactive (i.r.) β-endorphin (β-EP) in the pituitary but an increase of i.r. β-EP in the hypothalamus. The Met-enkephalin level in the hypothalamus of ethanol-treated rats remained the same as the control. The body weights, as well as food and liquid intake, of ethanol-treated rats were observed to be lower than the controls. In golden hamsters, i.r. β-EP level in the hypothalamus and pituitary remained unchanged with chronic ethanol consumption. The body weight and liquid intake of golden hamsters also remained the same as the controls. Since the changes of pituitary and hypothalamic β-EP after ethanol administration were found only in rats but not in golden hamsters, it is likely that the effects of ethanol observed in rats are not specific.
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