Effects of ventral striatal 6-OHDA lesions or amphetamine sensitization on ethanol consumption in the rat.

• Female rats with continuous access to water and 6% ethanol were given bilateral ventral striatal 6-OHDA infusions, which induced pronounced striatal depletions of dopamine. The postoperative ethanol consumption of these rats was not significantly affected in comparison to vehicle-infused controls. In a second experiment, female rats received escalating doses of d-amphetamine over a 5-week period (from 1 to 9 mg/kg/injection). Control females were given saline injections. Following a 3-month drug-free interval, the females were given access to ethanol, the concentration of which was gradually increased from 2% to 12% with weekly intervals. Amphetamine-sensitized rats consumed significantly more alcohol than the saline-treated controls. Taken together, these results suggest that striatal dopaminergic mechanisms, while not necessary for basal ethanol drinking, can facilitate alcohol drinking.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Alcohol Drinking

psychology

Amphetamine

pharmacology

Animals

Dopamine

metabolism

Female

Motor Activity

drug effects

Neostriatum

drug effects

physiology

Norepinephrine

metabolism

Oxidopamine

toxicity

Rats

Rats

Wistar

Serotonin

metabolism

Stereotyped Behavior

drug effects

Synaptic Transmission

drug effects

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)