Abstract
The present study was carried out in order to clarify the mechanism of calcium prolongation of ethanol-induced sleep. p-Chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 300 mg/kg), α-methyltyrosine (αMPT, 100 mg/kg) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC, 250 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally (IP) to mice to reduce the levels of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) respectively in the brain. Sleeping time was then measured following the administration of ethanol (4.5 g/kg, IP) both with and without CaCl 2 (20 μmol/kg, intravenous (IV)). When saline (IP) plus CaCl 2 (IV) was administered, the duration of ethanol-induced sleep was prolonged by 100% as compared with saline (IP) plus saline (IV). Duration of ethanol-induced sleep was not changed by PCPA, αMPT and DDC. On the other hand, the prolongation of ethanol-induced sleep by CaCl 2 was antagonized by PCPA, αMPT and DDC. Also, only the DA level in the cerebrum was increased by 25% by administration of CaCl 2. We suggest that the increase in ethanol-induced sleeping time due to CaCl 2 results from the increase in biogenic amines in the brain.
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