title: Lack of effects of handling habituation and swimming stress on ethanol-induced motor impairment and GABAA receptor function.
abstract: The effects of handling habituation and swimming stress on ethanol-induced motor impairment and the GABAA receptor function were studied in adult male Wistar rats. Daily handling for 3 to 5 weeks had no significant effect on ethanol-induced motor impairment in the tilting plane test or on the activity of the rats in the elevated plus-maze test of anxiety. Plasma corticosterone concentrations were greatly elevated by the tilting plane test procedure, irrespective of handling habituation. Acute, 10-min swimming stress at +25 degrees C produced an elevated plasma corticosterone concentration comparable to that produced by the tilting plane test, again irrespective of handling habituation. In cerebrocortical homogenates, short-term swimming stress had no statistically significant effect on the muscimol stimulation of the GABAA receptor-mediated 36Cl- flux in handled and non-handled animals. Thus, handling habituation and stress had only minor effects on the activity of the central GABAergic systems in acute tests at behavioural and biochemical levels.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories, Alko Ltd., Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuominen
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Korpi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000431:Ethanol; D003345:Corticosterone