Effects of ethanol on extracellular amino acid levels in high- and low-alcohol sensitive rats: A microdialysis study

Dahchour, A Hoffman, A Deitrich, R De Witte, P

A. Dahchour et al., Effects of ethanol on extracellular amino acid levels in high- and low-alcohol sensitive rats: A microdialysis study, ALC ALCOHOL, 35(6), 2000, pp. 548-553

41

INGLESE

Article

Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry","Neurosciences & Behavoir

ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM

0735-0414 → ACNP

35

6

2000

548 - 553

ISI

0735-0414(200011/12)35:6<548:EOEOEA>2.0.ZU;2-3

Selectively bred high-alcohol sensitive (HAS) and low-alcohol sensitive (LA S) rats possess a number of behavioural and electrophysiological difference s in their responses to alcohol. Using a microdialysis technique, we have e valuated whether the levels of the amino acids aspartate, glutamate, argini ne, taurine, and alanine in HAS and LAS rats differ in their response to et hanol administration (2 g/kg, i.p.). The basal concentrations of each amino acid in these two groups were statistically similar. Following ethanol inj ection, alanine, arginine, and glutamate were significantly decreased in HA S rats, whereas, alanine, glutamate, and taurine were significantly increas ed in LAS rats by the end of the experiment. Interestingly, an increase in the sulphonated amino acid taurine was only evident 20 min after ethanol ad ministration in the HAS rats, when compared to saline controls. No changes were observed in the other amino acids studied, aspartate and glycine, afte r ethanol administration. These data suggest that, in addition to different ial behavioural responses to alcohol, HAS and LAS rats also differ in their neurochemical responses to ethanol.