The effect of acute and chronic ethanol intake on hepatic glycerolipid biosynthesis in the hamster was studied by in vivo and in vitro techniques. The results were compared with those from control hamsters receiving isocaloric amounts of glucose. Both chronic and acute ethanol intake elevated serum and hepatic triglyceride concentrations and induced a rapid rise in the capacity of neutral glyce...

The effects of acute and chronic treatment with ethanol on transport of reducing equivalents into mitochondria via the malate-aspartate shuttle were studied in perfused rat liver. The shuttle capacity was estimated from the decrease in rates of glucose production from the reduced substrate sorbitol caused by an increase in the NADH/NAD+ ratio in the cytosol due to metabolism of ethanol. The gre...

Long-standing ethanol consumption acts as a chronic cardiac stress and often leads to alcoholic cardiomyopathy. We have recently shown that the acute ethanol-induced depression in myocardial contraction was substantiated by chronic ethanol ingestion. Acetaldehyde (ACA), the main ethanol metabolite, has been considered to play a role in ethanol-induced cardiac dysfunction. To evaluate the ACA-in...

GABA(A) receptors have been implicated in mediating several acute effects of ethanol including anxiolysis, ataxia, sedation/hypnosis, and anticonvulsant activity. Ethanol sensitivity of neurons has been associated with expression of alpha1 subunit-containing receptors. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of alpha1 subunit containing receptors to ethanol responses in co...

Dopamine D2 (D2) receptors seem to mediate reinforcing responses to addicting drugs. A stably transfected NG108-15 cell line expressing the long form of the rat brain D2 receptor (D2L) was used to determine how ethanol modifies D2 receptor coupling to adenylyl cyclase. Activation of D2L receptors by the D2 receptor-specific agonist R-(-)-2,10,11-trihydroxy-N-propylnorapomorphine hydrobromide (N...

Previous findings suggested that drugs modulating glutamatergic neurotransmission could be useful in the treatment of alcohol dependence. This study examined the effects of chronic and acute treatment with MRZ 2/579 (1-amino-1,3,3,5,5-pentamethyl-cyclohexane hydrochloride), a novel uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, on voluntary ethanol intake in long-term ethanol-experienc...

We found previously that acute ex vivo as well as repeated cycles of in vivo ethanol exposure and withdrawal, including excessive voluntary consumption of ethanol, produces a long-lasting increase in the activity of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors (NR2B-NMDARs) in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) of rats (Wang et al., 2010a). Activation of NMDARs is required for the induction of long-term potentia...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of acute and chronic intake of mate tea on the effects elicited by acute and chronic administration of ethanol. METHODS Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), as well as the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide di...

The consequences of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are devastating to individuals and society, yet few treatments are currently available. To identify genes regulating the behavioral effects of ethanol, we conducted a genetic screen in Drosophila and identified a mutant, happyhour (hppy), due to its increased resistance to the sedative effects of ethanol. Hppy protein shows strong homology to mam...

RATIONALE The endocannabinoid system has been implicated in the neurobiological mechanism underlying drug addiction, especially the primary rewarding dopamine-dependent processes. Therefore, endocannabinoid receptor antagonists, such as the CB1 cannabinoid antagonist rimonabant, have been proposed as candidates for preventive addiction therapies. OBJECTIVES Investigate the possible involvemen...