Alcohol stimulates motor activity in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP), but not in Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP), rats.
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of low doses of ethanol on motor activity in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats. Ethanol was acutely administered at the doses of 0, 0.25, and 0.5 g/kg (i.p.) immediately before rat exposure to an open-field arena for 15 min. The number of square crossings, used as index of motor activity, was significantly lower in saline-treated sP than in saline-treated sNP rats, suggestive of a genetically determined higher emotional state in sP than in sNP rats. Ethanol administration resulted in a dose-dependent, significant increase in the number of square crossings in sP rats, whereas it was completely ineffective in sNP rats. These results suggest to us that a positive relationship exists between ethanol preference and ethanol-induced motor stimulation in sP/sNP rat lines.
Agabio
R
R
"Bernard B. Brodie" Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124, Cagliari, Italy.
Carai
M A
MA
Lobina
C
C
Pani
M
M
Reali
R
R
Vacca
G
G
Gessa
G L
GL
Colombo
G
G
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol