Membrane fluidity and alcohol dependence.
Rats were chronically intoxicated with alcohol by exposing them to increasing concentrations of ethanol vapor over a 4-week period. They were tested for alcohol consumption in a free choice situation of water and 10% (v/v) alcohol. On the basis of their intakes they were divided into alcohol-dependent and nondependent groups. Synaptosome membrane fluidity evaluated by fluorescence polarization was compared between the two groups and against nonintoxicated controls. The intoxicated animals had a lower membrane fluidity than controls, mainly because of a highly significant increase of rigidity in the alcohol-dependent group. Furthermore, membrane fluidity was found to be correlated with the degree of behavioral dependence (i.e., alcohol intake during the free choice period).
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000502:physiology*
D000431:Ethanol