Skip to main content
Log in

Acute tolerance to ethanol in the rat

  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Male Wistar rats were examined on the moving belt test at approximately 10, 30 and 60 min after administration of ethanol in doses ranging from 1.0–2.8 g/kg. Immediately after the test, each animal was sacrificed and ethanol concentrations were measured. The regression line of impairment as a function of brain alcohol concentration showed a progressive shift toward higher brain levels with increasing time after alcohol administration. The results confirm the existence of acute tolerance to ethanol, as defined by reduced impairment of function for a given blood level on the falling versus the rising arm of the blood alcohol curve. Confusion of interpretation due to arterio-venous differences in alcohol concentration was ruled out by simultaneous measurements in arterial blood and brain. Practice effects were ruled out by testing each animal only once.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aschan, G., Bergstedt, M., Goldberg, L., Laurell, L.: Positional nystagmus in man during and after alcohol intoxication. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 17, 381–405 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Casper, H., Abele, G.: Hirnelektrische Untersuchungen zur Frage der quantitativen Beziehungen zwischen Blutalkoholgehalt und Alkoholeffekt. Dtsch. Z. gerichtl. Med. 45, 492–509 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Czaja, C., Kalant, H.: The effect of acute alcoholic intoxication on adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol in the rat. Canad. J. Biochem. Physiol. 39, 327–334 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Eggleton, M. G.: The diuretic action of alcohol in man. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 101, 172–191 (1942)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbins, R. J., Kalant, H., LeBlanc, A. E.: Technique for accurate measurement of moderate degrees of alcohol intoxication in small animals. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 159, 236–242 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, L.: Quantitative studies on alcohol tolerance in man. The influence of ethyl alcohol on sensory, motor and psychological functions referred to blood alcohol in normal and habituated individuals. Acta physiol. scand. 5, Suppl. 16, 1–128 (1943)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gostomzyk, J. G., Dilger, B., Dilger, K.: Studies on the arterio-venous differences in blood alcohol concentration and its relationship to the alcohol content of brain. Z. klin. Chem. 7, 162–166 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Harger, R. N., Forney, R. B.: The aliphatic alcohols. In: Progress in chemical toxicology. Stolman, A., ed., vol. 1, pp. 53–134. New York: Academic Press 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heidelmann, G., Petzold, H., Taschen, G.: Untersuchung über die Nikotin- und Alkoholwirkung auf die akrale Arteriolenfunktion. Dtsch. Arch. klin. Med. 199, 431 (1952). [Abst. in Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 14, 642–643 (1953).]

    Google Scholar 

  • Israel, Y., Kalant, H., LeBlanc, A. E.: Effects of lower alcohols on potassium transport and microsomal adenosinetriphosphatase activity of rat cerebral cortex. Biochem. J. 100, 25–33 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, B. M., Vega, A.: Cognitive performance measured on the ascending and descending limb of the blood alcohol curve. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 23, 99–114 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalant, H., LeBlanc, A. E., Gibbins, R. J.: Tolerance to, and dependence on, some non-opiate psychotropic drugs. Pharmacol. Rev. 23, 135–191 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • LeBlanc, A. E.: Microdetermination of alcohol in blood by gas liquid chromatography. Canad. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 46, 665–667 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • LeBlanc, A. E., Kalant, H., Gibbins, R. J., Berman, N. D.: Acquisition and loss of tolerance to ethanol by the rat. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 168, 244–250 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Maynert, E. W., Klingman, G. I.: Acute tolerance to intravenous anesthetics in dogs. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 128, 192–200 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • McIlwain, H.: Chemical Exploration of the Brain, p. 51. New York: Elsevier 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mellanby, E.: Alcohol: its absorption into and disappearance from the blood under different conditions. Special Report Series No. 31, Medical Research Committee, London 1919

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirsky, I. A., Piker, P., Rosenbaum, M., Lederer, M.: “Adaptation” of the central nervous system to varying concentrations of alcohol in the blood. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 2, 35–45 (1941)

    Google Scholar 

  • Story, J. L., Eidelberg, E., French, J. D.: Electrographic changes induced in cats by ethanol intoxication. Arch. Neurol. (Chic.) 5, 565–570 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahlström, G., Widerlöv, E.: Interaction and acute cross tolerance between ethanol and hexobarbitone in the rat. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 23, 58–60 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

LeBlanc, A.E., Kalant, H. & Gibbins, R.J. Acute tolerance to ethanol in the rat. Psychopharmacologia 41, 43–46 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421304

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421304

Key words

Navigation