Alcohol
Volume 23, Issue 2 , Pages 123-126, February 2001

Alcohol stimulates motor activity in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP), but not in Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP), rats

  • Roberta Agabio

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Mauro A.M. Carai

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Carla Lobina

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Marialaura Pani

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Roberta Reali

      Affiliations

    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Giovanni Vacca

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Gian Luigi Gessa

      Affiliations

    • “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Neuroscienze S.c.a r.l., I-09123 Cagliari, Italy
    • C.N.R. Center for Neuropharmacology, c/o “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • ,
  • Giancarlo Colombo

      Affiliations

    • C.N.R. Center for Neuropharmacology, c/o “Bernard B. Brodie” Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +39-70-675-8422; fax: +39-70-657-237

Received 9 March 2000; received in revised form 15 November 2000; accepted 19 November 2000.

Abstract 

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of low doses of ethanol on motor activity in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats. Ethanol was acutely administered at the doses of 0, 0.25, and 0.5 g/kg (i.p.) immediately before rat exposure to an open-field arena for 15 min. The number of square crossings, used as index of motor activity, was significantly lower in saline-treated sP than in saline-treated sNP rats, suggestive of a genetically determined higher emotional state in sP than in sNP rats. Ethanol administration resulted in a dose-dependent, significant increase in the number of square crossings in sP rats, whereas it was completely ineffective in sNP rats. These results suggest to us that a positive relationship exists between ethanol preference and ethanol-induced motor stimulation in sP/sNP rat lines.

Keywords: Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation, Open field, Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats, Relationship between ethanol preference and ethanol-induced stimulation, Anxiety-related behaviors

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PII: S0741-8329(00)00144-0

Alcohol
Volume 23, Issue 2 , Pages 123-126, February 2001

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