The effect of alcohol on testosterone concentrations in alcohol-preferring and non-preferring rat lines.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reported associations between human alcohol drinking and testosterone levels.


METHODS
In this study we investigated serum testosterone concentrations without and under the influence of alcohol in alcohol-preferring (AA) and nonpreferring (ANA) rat lines. Animals were tested in both mornings and afternoons and the alcohol doses were 0.75 and 1.50 g/kg.


RESULTS
Higher basal serum testosterone levels were detected in the AA rats compared with the ANA rats in both mornings (152%, p = 0.028) and afternoons (75%, p = 0.035). The high alcohol dose decreased the testosterone concentrations of both the AA and the ANA rats (p = 0.001-0.01). The low dose, however, decreased testosterone concentrations only in the ANA line (line difference in the morning: p = 0.027; in the afternoon p = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results support previous indications of a positive association between testosterone and alcohol drinking. Furthermore, the present results, together with earlier reports on the AA and ANA rats, introduce the possibility of a connection between this association and the hypothalamic opiate system, which is also involved in the feedback regulation of testosterone synthesis.
Apter
Susanna J
SJ
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Eriksson
C J Peter
CJ
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*
D000431:Ethanol; D013739:Testosterone