title: Housing conditions alter GABAA receptor of alcohol-preferring and -nonpreferring rats.
abstract: The effects of housing conditions on some functional properties of the GABAA benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor in the cerebral cortex were examined in the selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) and -nonpreferring (NP) lines of rats. Compared to rats housed in pairs (P with P and NP with NP), P and NP rats housed individually had 44% (p < 0.005) and 32% (p < 0.01) lower values, respectively, for GABA-stimulated 36Cl- influx into cortical microsacs. The maximal effect (Vmax) of flunitrazepam (FNZ) to enhance GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake was 44% higher in individually housed P rats than pair-housed P rats (p < 0.05) and 51% higher than individually housed NP rats (p < 0.05). There was no difference between single and pair-housed NP rats for Vmax values of FNZ enhancement of GABA-stimulated 36Cl- influx. The results show housing conditions can alter some of the functional properties of the GABAA/BZD receptor in the P and NP lines of rats. The differential effect of housing conditions on FNZ enhancement of 36Cl- influx, observed between the lines, may be a result of higher levels of anxiety being produced by brief isolation in the P rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-4887.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thielen
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lumeng
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D002713:Chlorine; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011868:Radioisotopes; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology*; D012934:Social Isolation; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D002713:Chlorine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005445:Flunitrazepam