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Intrahippocampal allopregnanolone decreases voluntary chronic alcohol consumption in non-selected rats.
- Source :
-
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry [Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry] 2007 May 09; Vol. 31 (4), pp. 823-31. Date of Electronic Publication: 2007 Feb 02. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- We have recently shown that 0.2 microg of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AlloP) administered to the hippocampus induced an anxiolytic-like profile and also reduced alcohol withdrawal symptoms in voluntary and chronic alcohol-drinking rats. The aim of the present work was to study whether the administration of this dose of AlloP could affect alcohol consumption in non-selected rats that have been voluntarily ingesting high doses of alcohol for long periods of time in a limited access procedure. We used a free-choice drinking procedure that involved providing the rats with an alcoholic solution (10% ethanol) at an early age. Alcohol and control rats were assigned randomly to three groups that received an intrahippocampal (dorsal CA1) injection before the period of alcohol consumption after a long history of chronic alcohol intake. The injection groups were AlloP (0.2 microg, 1.26 microM), pregnenolone sulfate (PregS) (5 ng, 24 microM) or vehicle. Blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) were assessed before testing the effects of injections on alcohol consumption. Although AlloP did not eliminate alcohol ingestion, it significantly decreased alcohol consumption. The intrahippocampal administration of PregS, at the dose tested, did not effectively modify alcohol consumption levels. These results indicate that the positive modulation of hippocampal GABA(A) receptors induced by neurosteroids can be an important neurobiological target for reducing chronic alcohol consumption.
- Subjects :
- Alcohols administration & dosage
Alcohols blood
Animals
Behavior, Animal
Choice Behavior drug effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drinking Behavior drug effects
Food Deprivation
Glucose metabolism
Hippocampus drug effects
Hippocampus physiology
Linear Models
Male
Pregnenolone administration & dosage
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Alcohol Drinking drug therapy
Anesthetics administration & dosage
Conditioning, Operant drug effects
Pregnanolone administration & dosage
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0278-5846
- Volume :
- 31
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17329001
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2007.01.022