title: Lack of tolerance to ethanol-induced stimulation of mesolimbic dopamine system.
abstract: Rats maintained for 10 days on a 10% ethanol solution as the sole source of fluid developed marked tolerance to ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, but no tolerance to the stimulatory effects on mesolimbic dopaminergic system. An ethanol challenge stimulated both the electrical activity of A10 dopaminergic cells and dopamine output in the ventral striatum of behaviourally tolerant animals and of controls to the same extent. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that an increased dopamine neurotransmission in the limbic system participates in the reinforcing effect of ethanol.
authors.affiliation: B. B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
authors.forename: Z L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Rossetti
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D000431:Ethanol; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid