Heterogeneity of tolerance developed to effects of ethanol on rotarod and accelerod performances in rats

• Published in: Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1995-11, Vol.12 (6), p.593-595
• Main Authors: UZBAY, I. T, KAYAALP, S. O
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Animals; Ataxia - chemically induced; Ataxia - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System Depressants - pharmacology; Drug Tolerance; Ethanol; Ethanol - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Motor coordination; Postural Balance - drug effects; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tolerance; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0741-8329; 1873-6823
• DOI: 10.1016/0741-8329(95)02009-8

The ethanol-induced impairment of rotarod and accelerod performances has been investigated in rats. Ethanol (7.2%, v/v) was given orally ad lib to rats in a modified liquid diet for 15 days. Rotarod and accelerod performances were recorded before and at the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 15th days of ethanol intake. The daily ethanol consumption of the rats ranged from 12.03 to 16.4 g/kg. Mean blood ethanol level was estimated as 282.3 and 242.5 mg/dl on the 7th and 15th days of ethanol consumption, respectively. Ethanol significantly decreased ( p < 0.01) rotarod performance on the 2nd and 4th days. But tolerance developed to the ethanol-induced impairment of rotarod performance from the 7th day. It also significantly decreased ( p < 0.01) accelerod performance of the rats throughout the 15 days. So no tolerance was seen to this action of ethanol. Our results suggest that rotarod and accelerod performance tests seem to have differential characteristics in the context of tolerance development to ethanol in rats.