Autoradiographical study of types 1 and 2 of benzodiazepine receptors in rat brain after chronic ethanol treatment and its withdrawal.
The effect of chronic ethanol treatment, and its withdrawal on benzodiazepine binding sites in rat brain is described in this autoradiographical study using the benzodiazepine agonist [3H]flunitrazepam. Several areas of the rat cerebral cortex, hippocampus, mesencephalon, cerebellum and lateral geniculate nucleus were studied in animals, chronically treated with ethanol, and 24 or 48 hr after ethanol withdrawal. The [3H]flunitrazepam binding and the relative percentages of binding to BZ1 and BZ2 sites, using zolpidem as a BZ1 site inhibitor, are described. The cerebellum and red nucleus, which only express BZ1 binding sites, appear to be areas significantly modified by ethanol and its withdrawal. In no other structure did ethanol modify [3H]flunitrazepam binding nor change the relative percentage of BZ1 and BZ2 sites.
Department of Biochemistry and MOlecular Biology, University of León, Spain.
M
M
Negro
A
A
Fernández-López
P
P
Calvo
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000431:Ethanol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005445:Flunitrazepam