title: Initial ethanol exposure results in decreased heart rate variability in ethanol-naive rhesus monkeys.
abstract: Ethanol's effects on heart rate variability may contribute to the increased cardiac disease and mortality observed in alcoholics. We assessed cardiac response to ethanol in seven previously ethanol-naive monkeys given a standard dose of ethanol, or saline. Ethanol exposure reduced cardiac signal complexity [mean+/-S.D. (ethanol: Hurst parameter=0.39+/-0.02; saline: Hurst parameter=0.32+/-0.06)] and increased the spectral exponent (ethanol: beta=1.36+/-0.35; saline: beta=1.12+/-0.35) when compared to saline, while heart rate itself was unaffected (saline: interbeat interval=303.57+/-24.57; ethanol: interbeat interval=308.14+/-20.45). Taken together with data that show autonomic disregulation in alcoholics, these findings provide further evidence of deleterious ethanol effects on cardiac signal dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Studies, Primate Unit, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biochemical Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, PO Box 529, Fisher Avenue, Poolesville, MD 20837, USA. ABENNETT@WFUBMC.EDU
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sponberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Suomi
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Higley
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: DePetrillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol