Intravenous Ethanol Administration and Operant Self-Administration Alter Extracellular Norepinephrine Concentration in the Mesocorticolimbic Systems of Male Long Evans Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Norepinephrine has been suggested to regulate ethanol (EtOH)-related behaviors, but little is known about the effects of EtOH on norepinephrine release in mesocortical and mesolimbic brain areas that are targets of EtOH actions.

Methods

We used in vivo microdialysis to examine the effects of EtOH on extracellular norepinephrine concentrations in mesocorticolimbic brain regions of male Long Evans rats. We determined the effects of intravenous infusion of saline or EtOH in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the basal forebrain. We also measured dialysate norepinephrine concentrations during operant self-administration of EtOH in the mPFC.

Results

Intravenous infusion (1 or 0.25 ml/min) of 1.0 g/kg EtOH stimulated an increase in dialysate norepinephrine i

SUBMITTER: Jaime S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7556343 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature