CHRONIC ETHANOL RETARDS KINDLING OF HIPPOCAMPAL AREA CA(3)

To investigate the effects of chronic alcohol which persist long after cessation of ethanol exposure, electrical kindling of the hippocampus was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats chronically exposed to ethano l. Kindling was initiated 14 days after either one continuous period o f ethanol exposure, repeated periods of exposure and withdrawal, or co ntrol handling. Animals receiving ethanol exposure required significan tly more stimulations to develop behavioral signs of kindling and to a ttain final kindling criterion than did ethanol-naive controls. Neithe r the blood ethanol level at the time of withdrawal nor the behavioral signs of acute withdrawal severity correlated with kindling measures. This study indicates that chronic ethanol exposure results in brain a lterations which may be assessed long after the cessation of ethanol e xposure.