Functional ethanol tolerance in Drosophila

In humans, repeated alcohol consumption leads to the development of toleran ce, manifested as a reduced physiological and behavioral response to a part icular dose of alcohol. Here we show that adult Drosophila develop toleranc e to the sedating and motor-impairing effects of ethanol with kinetics of a cquisition and dissipation that mimic those seen in mammals. Importantly, t his tolerance is not caused by changes in ethanol absorption or metabolism. Rather, the development of tolerance requires the functional and structura l integrity of specific central brain regions. Mutants unable to synthesize the catecholamine octopamine are also impaired in their ability to develop tolerance. Taken together, these data show that Drosophila is a suitable m odel system in which to study the molecular and neuroanatomical bases of et hanol tolerance.