Effects of ethanol on respiratory activity in the neonatal rat brainstem-spinal cord preparation.
Ethanol (1-12 mM) added to the superfusion medium of the isolated brainstem-spinal cords of newborn rats did not affect phrenic activity but significantly reduced hypoglossal activity by 54%, 67% and 55% at 3, 6 and 12 mM, respectively. Although the reasons for the suppression of hypoglossal activity remain unknown, this preparation may be a useful model for determining why cranial motoneurons are more vulnerable than phrenic motoneurons to various agents and, more generally, how ethanol impairs neural function.
Di Pasquale
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E
Laboratoire de Biologie des Rythmes et du Développement, URA, CNRS 1832, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques St.-Jérôme, Marseille, France.
Monteau
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R
Hilaire
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G
Iscoe
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol