Chronic Effect of Ethanol on Gaba-Benzodiazepine Receptors of Rat Brain Regions



Messripour M¹ ; Rastegar A¹ ; Cieselski L¹ ; Simler S¹ ; Mandel P¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences Published:1992

Abstract

The chronic effects of ethanol on gamma-aminobutyric acid on (GABA)-benzodiazepine receptor complex were investigated in four rat brain regions. Chronic ethanol ingestion (15% in drinking water for 13 months) by the rat resulted in a decrease of receptor affinity (Kd) values in the striatum and hippocampus, and on increase of Kd values in the cerebellum and frontal cortex. GABA receptor density, as assessed by GABA-benzodiazepine binding (B max), was decreased insignificantly in the all brain regions studied. The different responses of GABA receptor affinity of the brain regions to chronic ethanol ingestion may result from quantitative differences in the distribution of GABA-ergic neurons in the tested brain areas. The increase in the affinity of the striatum and hippocampus and the decreased affinity of cerebellum and frontal cortex suggested that up-regulation of these receptors may be induced by chronic ethanol ingestion.