EFFECT OF CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH ETHANOL AND WITHDRAWAL OF ETHANOL ONBINDING OF [H-3] SCH23390 TO D1 DOPAMINE-RECEPTOR IN RAT VISUAL-CORTEX AND HIPPOCAMPUS - AN AUTORADIOGRAPHIC STUDY

Male Wistar rats, treated with ethanol for 8 weeks and pair-control an imals, were used to study the effects of chronic treatment with ethano l, and withdrawal of ethanol for 24 and 48 hr on [H-3]SCH23390 binding . The visual cortex (Laminae III-IV and Lamina VI), the superficial gr ey layer of the superior colliculus, and the molecular layer of the de ntate gyrus of the hippocampus were the cerebral areas analysed. Non s ignificant changes were observed in hippocampus and Laminae III-IV of the visual cortex after treatments with alcohol. More interesting resu lts were obtained from Lamina VI, where the chronic treatment with eth anol did not modify the binding of [H-3]SCH23390, whereas the withdraw al of ethanol produced a statistically significant increase in binding values. In addition, superficial grey layer of the superior colliculu s showed a significant increase in binding values between 48 hr withdr awal and ethanol treated groups. The results herein reported suggest t hat some structures involved in visual functions are related to respon ses of adaptation to ethanol.