title: Hyperexcitability in adrenal cells after culture in ethanol: withdrawal or excitotoxicity.
abstract: Experiments on bovine adrenal chromaffin cells maintained in culture medium containing ethanol (200 mM for a period of 5 days) show evidence of cellular hyperexcitability upon removal of the drug. This appears to be due to an adaptive response to the initial depressant effects of ethanol. In this model system excitatory amino acids (EAA) have greater toxicity during this state of cellular hyperexcitability promoting the view that the same mechanisms which lead to cellular withdrawal may also be linked with processes of neurodegeneration. Recent findings suggest the increased toxicity of amino acids may be due to several different mechanisms: consequently, the investigation of this hypothesis is not straightforward.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Science, Kings College, London, U.K.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruhe
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bouchenafa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Littleton
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D018079:Receptors, GABA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D000431:Ethanol