title: The regulation of alcohol consumption in rats: the role of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes-catalase and aldehyde dehydrogenase.
abstract: Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and catalase enzymatic activities in brain were assayed and compared to measures of alcohol consumption in two groups of animals screened and maintained on free-choice alcohol access under different conditions. In the first group of Long-Evans rats screened and maintained in home cages, mean alcohol intake was 3.49 g/kg/day with a range of 1.69-5.33 g/kg/day. When alcohol intake (g/kg), total ALDH, low K(m) ALDH, and catalase activities were entered in a multiple regression, a significant correlation of r = 0.51 (p < 0.05) was obtained. In the second group of rats consisting of Long-Evans, P, and NP rats screened using a drinkometer procedure, a multiple correlation between ALDH and catalase enzyme activities and alcohol intake of r = 0.42 (p < 0.05) was obtained. There was a strong relationship between the frequency of alcohol drinking bouts and the activities of catalase and ALDH (r = 0.68, p < 0.0001). The P rats had significantly higher catalase activities than either the NP or Long-Evans rats. The results of the present study confirmed earlier reports on the role of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in the regulation of alcohol intake. The results also highlighted the fact that the activity of these alcohol-metabolizing enzymes may play a mediating role in patterns of alcohol intake displayed by animals selected for high and low alcohol drinking and also unselected animals.
authors.affiliation: Montreal General Hospital Research Institute, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D002374:Catalase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase