Model systems, such as the Naples rat lines, can be used to study the effects of alcohol intake on behavior. Thus, adult male rats of the Naples Low- (NLE), High-Excitability (NHE) and random-bred control (NRB) lines had 24-h access by a bottle system to water and alcohol solutions or water only during a 6-week period (subchronic experiment). In a second series (acute exp.), rats were given a intraperitoneal injection of alcohol at different concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 g/Kg). Then, to evaluate differential behavioral effects, in both experiments, rats were exposed to spatial novelty (Lát-maze) for three 10-min tests, every 24-h. The behavior was videotaped and off-line analysed for horizontal activity (corner crossings: HA), vertical activity, for frequency (rearings number: VA) and scanning time (rearings duration: RD), or total activity (HVA). Short term habituation (STH), computed as activity reduction between first and second five min of day 1 test, and long term-habituation (LTH), computed as activity reduction among three days of test, were also considered. Results indicate that subchronic alcohol i) produces a significant reduction for HA (27%) but not for VA or RD in the first day of test in NRB rats only, ii) does not affect STH and LTH , iii) reduces emotionality as indexed by defecation score in NHE and NRB but not in NLE. Moreover acute alcohol reveals i) a dose-dependent increment of HA in the range 0.2-1.0 in NLE rats only, limited to the first part of the testing period, followed by a strong decrement at 2.0 g/Kg, ii) a significant fall of VA at 0.5 and 2.0 g/Kg, pertaining to the entire testing period, iii) an increment in scanning time (RD) in NLE rats only pertaining mainly to the second part of the test. Subchronic experiment with spontaneous choice of alcohol solutions at different concentrations appears to influence horizontal activity in random-bred non selected rats, with no effects in both NHE/NLE lines. In contrast, acute treatment shows dose-dependent effects in opposite directions in NLE rats only. The latter might explain the development of alcohol dependence in NLE line only
Genotype-dependent behavioral effects of alcohol in the Naples rat lines
Pellicano M P;
2007
Abstract
Model systems, such as the Naples rat lines, can be used to study the effects of alcohol intake on behavior. Thus, adult male rats of the Naples Low- (NLE), High-Excitability (NHE) and random-bred control (NRB) lines had 24-h access by a bottle system to water and alcohol solutions or water only during a 6-week period (subchronic experiment). In a second series (acute exp.), rats were given a intraperitoneal injection of alcohol at different concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 g/Kg). Then, to evaluate differential behavioral effects, in both experiments, rats were exposed to spatial novelty (Lát-maze) for three 10-min tests, every 24-h. The behavior was videotaped and off-line analysed for horizontal activity (corner crossings: HA), vertical activity, for frequency (rearings number: VA) and scanning time (rearings duration: RD), or total activity (HVA). Short term habituation (STH), computed as activity reduction between first and second five min of day 1 test, and long term-habituation (LTH), computed as activity reduction among three days of test, were also considered. Results indicate that subchronic alcohol i) produces a significant reduction for HA (27%) but not for VA or RD in the first day of test in NRB rats only, ii) does not affect STH and LTH , iii) reduces emotionality as indexed by defecation score in NHE and NRB but not in NLE. Moreover acute alcohol reveals i) a dose-dependent increment of HA in the range 0.2-1.0 in NLE rats only, limited to the first part of the testing period, followed by a strong decrement at 2.0 g/Kg, ii) a significant fall of VA at 0.5 and 2.0 g/Kg, pertaining to the entire testing period, iii) an increment in scanning time (RD) in NLE rats only pertaining mainly to the second part of the test. Subchronic experiment with spontaneous choice of alcohol solutions at different concentrations appears to influence horizontal activity in random-bred non selected rats, with no effects in both NHE/NLE lines. In contrast, acute treatment shows dose-dependent effects in opposite directions in NLE rats only. The latter might explain the development of alcohol dependence in NLE line onlyI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
