After-effects of acute alcohol intoxication.
Female, Long-Evans hooded rats (N = 10, 4 months of age) were given ethanol via intragastric intubation in doses of 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0 g/kg (repeated measures design). After-effects (hypothermia, free operant activity, motor performance) were measured at six, twelve and sixteen hours, respectively, for the above doses and were compared to the effects observed after the intubation of equivolume amounts of tap water. The after-effects of ethanol on rectal temperature were varied. Both rotarod performance and free operant activity were impaired after each of the above doses of ethanol. Blood ethanol analyses revealed low blood levels of ethanol (range 6.6 +/- 1.5 to 24.6 +/- 3.4 mg/100 ml) at the time behavioral tests were performed. Thus, quantifiable behavioral impairment was observed after blood ethanol values had declined following acute intoxication episodes. These changes may be related to "hangover" symptomatology in man and may serve as a model for investigating the influence of a variety of factors related to drug dosage, rate of ethanol ingestion, type of alcoholic beverage, and prophylactic or acute intervention therapeutics.
York
J L
JL
Research Institute on Alcoholism, New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, Buffalo 14203.
Regan
S G
SG
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D009068:Movement; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains