Abstract
Abstract: To study whether ethanol dependence is accompanied by changes in the brain monoamines, male Sprague‐Dawley rats were intubated intragastrically with 10% (w/v) ethanol solution 3 times daily (daily dose 8–11 g/kg) for 7–10 days. Control rats were intubated with similar volumes of tap water. The rats were killed 4–6 hrs (intoxicated group) or 16–18 hrs (withdrawal group) after the last administration of ethanol. At this time the withdrawn rats showed a stiff tail, spastic rigidity, piloerection, tremor, hyperexcitability, stereotyped head movements as well as convulsions. The dopamine and homovanillic acid concentrations as well as the disappearance rate of dopamine after synthesis blockade (α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine 250 mg/kg intraperitoneally 3 hrs) were similar in the brain of control, ethanol intoxicated and withdrawn rats. Chronic ethanol administration did not alter the concentration of noradrenaline in the brain or the heart of the rats. However, the disappearance rate of noradrenaline after synthesis blockade was accelerated by about 30–50% in the brain and heart of rats withdrawn from ethanol. Moreover, the concentration of noradrenaline was decreased by 40–60% in the brain and heart of rats which died in withdrawal convulsions. The experiments suggest that the noradrenergic mechanisms but not the dopaminergic mechanisms may be associated with the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call