In mammalian and insect models of ethanol intoxication, low doses of ethanol stimulate locomotor activity whereas high doses induce sedation. Sex differences in acute ethanol responses, which occur in humans, have not been characterized in Drosophila. In this study, we find that male flies show increased ethanol hyperactivity and greater resistance to ethanol sedation compared with females. We ...

This paper discusses methods that will be used to experimentally determine the limitations of transdermal ethanol alcohol sensors when used on human subjects. Transdermal ethanol sensors are used to measure the concentration of ethanol emitted by the surface of the skin. The maximum concentration of ethanol in the skin is proportional to the concentration of ethanol in the blood stream but is o...

The effects of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) on the behaviour of mice after chronic and acute ethanol administration were studied. Male albino mice received ethanol by inhalation for 25 days. The plus-maze and staircase tests were carried out with control, ethanol-intoxicated and ethanol-withdrawn mice (7.5 h after the end of ethanol administration). The admin...

BACKGROUND Given the prevalence of alcohol use in adolescence, it is important to understand the consequences of chronic ethanol exposure during this critical period in development. The purpose of this study was to assess possible age-related differences in susceptibility to tolerance development to ethanol-induced sedation and withdrawal-related anxiety, as well as voluntary ethanol intake aft...

Face validity in animal models of alcohol abuse and dependence is often at odds with robust demonstrations of ethanol-seeking. This study determined the relative influence of ethanol and a flavorant in maintaining ethanol intake in a nonhuman primate model of "cocktail" drinking. Four-year-old male monkeys were maintained on a 6% ethanol/6% Tang solution made available in daily (M-F) 1-h sessio...

Basal forebrain dopamine (DA) and 5-HT neurotransmission has been implicated in the mediation of the acute reinforcing actions of ethanol. Neuroadaptation theories predict that compensatory changes in neurochemical systems that are activated by alcohol acutely may underlie symptoms of withdrawal after chronic administration. To test this hypothesis, the release of DA and 5-HT was monitored by m...

In vivo monitoring of dopamine via microdialysis has demonstrated that acute, systemic ethanol increases extracellular dopamine in regions innervated by dopaminergic neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra. Simultaneous measurement of dialysate dopamine and ethanol allows comparison of the time courses of their extracellular concentrations. Early studies demonstra...

Due to the feasibility of ethanol production in the United States, ethanol has become more attractive as a fuel source and a possible energy carrier within the hydrogen economy. Ethanol can be stored easily in liquid form, and can be internally pre-formed prior to usage in low temperature (200 o C – 400 o C) solid acid and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. However, complete electrochemic...

Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are able to operate on a blend of ethanol and gasoline in any volumetric concentration of up to 85% ethanol (93% in Brazil). The estimation of ethanol content is crucial for optimized and robust performance in such vehicles. Even if an ethanol sensor is utilized, an estimation scheme independent of the ethanol sensor measurement retains advantages in enhancing the ...

BACKGROUND This study evaluated the dose-related ethanol-like subjective effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonist ketamine hydrochloride in recently detoxified alcoholics. METHODS Twenty male inpatients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for alcohol dependence and who had not consumed alcohol for 10 to 27 days prior to the study completed 3 test days that involved the ...