Alcohol withdrawal severity in inbred mouse (Mus musculus) strains

Pamela Metten, John C. Crabbe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

79 Scopus citations

Abstract

Male mice (Mus musculus) from 15 standard inbred strains were exposed to a nearly constant concentration of ethanol (EtOH) vapor for 72 hr, averaging 1.59 ± 0.03 mg EtOH/mL blood at withdrawal. EtOH- and air-exposed groups were tested hourly for handling-induced convulsions for 10 hr and at Hours 24 and 25. Strains differed markedly in the severity of withdrawal (after subtraction of control values), and by design these differences were independent of strain differences in EtOH metabolism. Correlation of strain mean withdrawal severity with other responses to EtOH supported previously reported genetic relationships of high EtOH withdrawal with low drinking, high conditioned taste aversion, low tolerance to EtOH-induced hypothermia, and high stimulated activity after low-dose EtOH. Also supported were the positive genetic correlations among EtOH, barbiturate, and benzodiazepine withdrawal. Sensitivity of naive mice to several chemical convulsant-induced seizures was also correlated with EtOH withdrawal.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)911-925
Number of pages15
JournalBehavioral Neuroscience
Volume119
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Dependence
  • Ethanol
  • Handling-induced convulsions
  • Inbred mouse strains
  • Pharmacogenetics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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