CHRONIC ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION IN RATS - CORRELATION BETWEEN MEMORY PERFORMANCE AND HIPPOCAMPAL ACETYLCHOLINE-RELEASE IN-VIVO

The effects of chronic alcohol consumption on memory performance and h ippocampal acetylcholine release in vivo were investigated in rats. Ra ts were allowed to drink 25% (v/v) ethanol solution as the only source of fluid for nine consecutive months, whereas control rats received o nly tap water. Memory performance was tested by the acquisition of shu ttle box active and passive avoidance. Chronic ethanol-consuming rats were not impaired in the acquisition of the active avoidance response task, whereas in the passive avoidance task, latency scores of treated rats were significantly lower than in controls. The basal release of acetylcholine in freely moving rats, assessed by the microdialysis tec hnique, was significantly decreased in ethanol-treated rats. Impairmen t in memory performance, as assessed in the passive avoidance task, wa s significantly correlated with hippocampal acetylcholine release in v ivo. Copyright (C) 1996 IBRO.