Premium
The benzodiazepine/GABA receptor complex during severe ethanol intoxication and withdrawal in the rat
Author(s) -
Hemmingsen R.,
Braestrup C.,
Nielsen M.,
Barry D. I.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1982.tb00830.x
Subject(s) - muscimol , ethanol , benzodiazepine , gabaa receptor , flunitrazepam , diazepam , physical dependence , chemistry , lorazepam , kindling , receptor , aminobutyric acid , pharmacology , cerebral cortex , endocrinology , hypnotic , medicine , anesthesia , biochemistry , stimulation , morphine
The benzodiazepine/GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid) receptor complex was investigated during severe ethanol intoxication and withdrawal in the rat. The intragastric intubation technique was used to establish physical ethanol dependence in the animals. Cerebral cortex from male Wistar rats was studied 1) after 3 1/2 days of severe ethanol intoxication, 2) during the ethanol withdrawal reaction and 3) in a control group. The effect of GABA‐ergic activation by muscimol and THIP (4,5,6,7‐tetrahydroisoxazole(5,4‐c)pyridin‐3‐01) on 3 H‐diazepam binding was unchanged during ethanol intoxication and withdrawal, as was the affinity constant (K D ) and the maximal number of binding sites (B max ) for 3 H‐flunitrazepam. In conclusion, the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor complex is unlikely to play any causal part in physical ethanol dependence.