Acute ethanol treatment modifies response properties and habituation of the DR-VR reflex in the isolated frog spinal cord.
Ethanol modification of habituation, a fundamental form of behavioral plasticity, was examined in the isolated frog spinal cord preparation. The polysynaptic dorsal root to ventral root (DR-VR) reflex response was assessed in normal Ringer's and at one of four ethanol concentrations. The reflex itself was facilitated at lower levels (0.025%) and depressed at higher levels (0.05-0.5%) of ethanol. Habituation, decrement of the polysynaptic ventral root response to repeated dorsal root stimulation, was reduced at all ethanol concentrations. Understanding the mechanisms of ethanol action involved in the disruption of simple forms of plasticity will help us to explain its actions on more complex forms of associational processes.
D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D011892:Rana catesbeiana; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects*
D000431:Ethanol