Abstract
Electrodes were chronically implanted in the dorsal hippocampus of rats. Pretreatment levels of neural excitability were assessed by determining the duration of direct hippocampal electrical stimulation sufficient to induce forelimb clonus in each rat. Following baseline measurements the rats were administered an alcohol or sucrose-containing liquid diet and 19–22 days later were withdrawn. Two postwithdrawal stimulation sessions were conducted on each animal. Separate groups of ethanol-dependent and control rats were given primary stimulation sessions at 8 h, 24 h, 72 h, or 1 week postwithdrawal. Secondary stimulation sessions were conducted 1 week or 2 weeks postwithdrawal.
The results from the primary stimulations indicated that ethanol-dependent animals exhibited significant neural hyperexcitability for at least 72 h, but not 1 week, postwithdrawal. Results from the secondary stimulations demonstrated the presence of a relative neural hypoexcitability in ethanol-dependent groups as compared to controls. The pattern of results suggests, however, that the observed relative neural hypoexcitability was not the direct result of ethanol withdrawal.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Freund, G., Walker, D. W.: Sound-induced seizures during ethanol withdrawal in mice. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 22, 45–49 (1971)
Gibbins, R. J., Kalant, H., LeBlanc, A. E., Clark, W.: The effects of chronic administration of ethanol on startle thresholds in rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 19, 95–104 (1971)
Goddard, G. V., McIntyre, D. C., Leech, C. A.: A permanent change in brain function resulting from daily electrical stimulation. Exp. Neurol. 25, 295–330 (1969)
Hunt, W. A.: Changes in the neuroexcitability of alcohol-dependent rats undergoing withdrawal as measured by the pentylentetrazole seizure threshold. Neuropharmacology 12, 1097–1102 (1973)
Hunter, B. E., Riley, J. N., Walker, D. W., Freund, G.: Ethanol dependence in the rat: a parametric analysis. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 619–629 (1975)
Kalant, H., LeBlanc, A. E., Gibbins, R. J.: Tolerance to, and dependence on, ethanol. In: Biological basis of alcoholism, Y. Israel and J. Mardones, eds., pp. 235–269. New York: John Wiley and Sons 1971
Konig, J., Klippel, R. A.: The rat brain: a stereotaxic atlas of the forebrain and lower parts of the brain stem. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins 1963
McQuarrie, D. G., Fingl, E.: Effects of single doses and chronic administration of ethanol on experimental seizures in mice. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 124, 264–271 (1958)
Mendelson, J. H.: Biochemical mechanisms of alcohol addiction. In: The biology of alcoholism, vol. 1, biochemistry, B. Kissin and H. Begleiter, eds., pp. 513–544. New York: Plenum 1972
Pohorecky, L. A., Cagan, M., Brick, J., Jaffe, L. S.: The startle response in rats: effect of ethanol. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 4, 311–316 (1976)
Racine, R. J., Burnham, W. M., Gartner, J. G.: first trial motor seizures triggered by amygdaloid stimulation in the rat. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 35, 487–494 (1973)
Ratcliff, F.: Ethanol dependence in the rat: its production and characteristics. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. 196, 146–156 (1972)
Walker, D. W., Freund, G.: Impairment of shuttlebox avoidance learning following prolonged alcohol consumption in rats. Physiol. Behav. 7, 773–778 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geisler, R.F., Hunter, B.E. & Walker, D.W. Ethanol dependence in the rat: Temporal changes in neuroexcitability following withdrawal. Psychopharmacology 56, 287–292 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432851
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432851