STRESS CONTROLLABILITY INFLUENCES THE ATAXIC PROPERTIES OF BOTH ETHANOL AND MIDAZOLAM IN THE RAT

Rats were administered either 80 escapable shocks or yoked inescapable shocks, were then injected with saline or several ataxic doses of eit her ethanol or midazolam, and then had their motoric impairment assess ed Rotarod performance. No motoric impairment was observed following s aline injection. However, inescapable shock impaired Rotarod performan ce in response to both ethanol and midazolam at 2 hr, but not immediat ely postsress. Conversely, escapable shock reduced the ataxic potency of ethanol, although it had no influenced on midazolam-induced ataxia. These results indicate functional alterations in behavioral reactivit y to low doses of several classes of central nervous system depressant s by psychological dynamics of stress exposure. Our findings demonstra te the impact of stress controllability on behavioral reactivity to tw o classes of drugs of abuse.