Enkephalin and cyclic nucleotide content in the brain structures of rats at different stages of the formation and development of alcoholic dependence
Balakleevskiĭ, A.I.; Maslova, I.V.; Petrenko, S.V.; Surikov, P.M.
Biulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny 101(3): 291-294
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0365-9615 PMID: 3006825 Document Number: 285099
Rats with increased alcohol motivation have been found to have a rise in enkephalin levels in limbic cortex and a decrease in met-enkephalin levels in the brain basal ganglia. Reduction of met-enkephalin to leu-enkephalin ratio in basal ganglia, limbic cortex and hypothalamus may serve as an index of increased inclination to ethanol in these animals. Alcohol dependence is characterized by reduced cAMP content in the majority of brain structures studied, sharply decreased met-enkephalin levels in limbic cortex and hypothalamus, and diminished cAMP and cGMP content in hypothalamus. In the third stage of experimental alcoholism the partial normalization of met-enkephalin and cAMP levels is observed in brain structures, with cGMP content increased in hypothalamus and considerably reduced in basal ganglia.