REDUCTION IN STRIATAL 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE TURNOVER FOLLOWING CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF ETHANOL TO RATS

Male Sprague–Dawley rats were given 10% (v/v) ethanolto drink for 28 days and the effects of the drug on the brain5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) turnover were studied. Turnover wasdecreased in the corpus striatum after ethanol treatment dueto a decrease in 5-hydroxyindol-3-ylacetic acid (5-HIAA), andan increase in 5-HT, concentration. Noradrenaline concentrationwas also increased in this region, but those of dopamine andGABA were similar to control values. Ethanol had no effect onany of the neurotransmitters studied in the brain stem and hippocampus,nor on the activity of monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) and5-HT uptake in the three brain regions. Chronic ethanol administrationcaused a selective decrease in striatal 5-HT turnover whichwas unrelated to either its rate of inactivation, or the activityof other brain neurotransmitters. These findings are discussedin relation to those obtained in previous studies.