Ethanol sensitivity and tolerance in long-term memory mutants of Drosophila melanogaster.
BACKGROUND
It has become increasingly clear that molecular and neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory and drug addiction are largely shared. To confirm and extend these findings, we analyzed ethanol-responsive behaviors of a collection of Drosophila long-term memory mutants.


METHODS
For each mutant, sensitivity to the acute uncoordinating effects of ethanol was quantified using the inebriometer. Additionally, 2 distinct forms of ethanol tolerance were measured: rapid tolerance, which develops in response to a single brief exposure to a high concentration of ethanol vapor; and chronic tolerance, which develops following a sustained low-level exposure.


RESULTS
Several mutants were identified with altered sensitivity, rapid or chronic tolerance, while a number of mutants exhibited multiple defects.


CONCLUSIONS
The corresponding genes in these mutants represent areas of potential overlap between learning and memory and behavioral responses to alcohol. These genes also define components shared between different ethanol behavioral responses.
Berger
Karen H
KH
Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California 94608, USA. karenb@gallo.ucsf.edu
Kong
Eric C
EC
Dubnau
Josh
J
Tully
Tim
T
Moore
Monica S
MS
Heberlein
Ulrike
U
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004361:Drug Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*
D000431:Ethanol