Decreased intoxicating effect of ethanol in rats after 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration of ascending dopamine pathways.
Selective lesion of ascending dopamine pathways was made by injecting the neurotoxin 6-OHDA (8 microgram/4 microliter) bilaterally close to the nigro-striatal dopamine pathway of 18 male Long Evans rats. Similar injections of the vehicle were given to 10 control rats. Two months after the operation intoxication was measured in a tilting-plane test after an injection of ethanol (2 g/kg, IP). Ethanol impaired the performance of the 6-OHDA-treated rats significantly less than that of the controls. This finding suggests a role for the central dopamine neurons in the intoxicating effect of ethanol.
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects
D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D000431:Ethanol; D004298:Dopamine