In vivo electrochemical determination of extracellular dopamine in the caudate of freely-moving rats after a low dose of ethanol.
Low doses of ethanol (i.e. less than 1 g/kg) elicit behavioral stimulation, control discriminative performance and mediate reinforcement in rats. These effects are thought to be mediated through central dopaminergic neuronal systems. In the present study, dopamine and serotonin/uric acid release from caudate was measured by in vivo voltammetry in freely-moving, unanesthetized rats after administration of a low dose of ethanol (600 mg/kg, IP). Within 15 min after a single ethanol administration, extracellular dopamine levels significantly increased in caudate, peaking at 35 min, and returning to baseline by 75 min. In addition, ethanol caused an attenuation of a second voltammetric signal that correlates with extracellular serotonin/uric acid concentrations, and this effect persisted through the course of the experiments. These neurochemical changes may underlie behavioral responses found after low doses of ethanol.
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Department of Pharmacology, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York 14642.
Yamamoto
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Schechter
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MD
D000818:Animals; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D014527:Uric Acid; D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol; D004298:Dopamine