title: Cross-tolerance to ethanol and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid.
abstract: In the present study, the development of tolerance to the motor impairing effects of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHBA) and ethanol was compared (Experiment 1). Rats were required to perform a motor coordination task daily shortly after ethanol (3.5 g/kg) and GHBA (1.0 g/kg) administration for 9 consecutive days. Tolerance to the motor impairing effects of ethanol and GHBA developed to a similar extent but with different patterns. On the tenth day, the presence of cross-tolerance to the motor impairing effects of GHBA and ethanol was assessed (Experiment 2). Administration of 1.0 g/kg GHBA produced a significantly lower impairment in ethanol-tolerant rats than in ethanol-naive rats. Similarly, administration of 3.5 g/kg ethanol induced a significantly lower impairment in GHBA-tolerant rats than in GHBA-naive rats. The presence of cross-tolerance between GHBA and ethanol is discussed in terms of common pathways of neuroadaptation to chronic GHBA and ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Bernard B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agabio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lobina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reali
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D012978:Sodium Oxybate