Psychopharmacology

, Volume 109, Issue 1–2, pp 107–111 | Cite as

Differential development of acute tolerance to the motor impairment and anticonvulsant effects of ethanol

  • A. D. Lê
  • M. Mana
  • B. Quan
  • H. Kalant
Original Investigations
Received:
Revised:

Abstract

The development of acute tolerance to the motor impairment and anticonvulsant effects of ethanol was examined. Acute tolerance to the motor impairment effect of ethanol was shown by a decrease in the degree of intoxication, as measured on the moving belt task, at higher blood ethanol levels ranging from 206 to 256 mg/dl. There was no evidence of acute tolerance to the anticonvulsant effect of ethanol in rats tested over the same time period. These results indicate that, like chronic tolerance, acute tolerance to ethanol develops at different rates for different effects of the drug. The fact that chronic tolerance to the anticonvulsant effect of ethanol has been well documented raises doubts about the assumption that similar physiological changes underlie acute and chronic tolerance to a drug effect, and support the idea that the relationship between acute and chronic tolerance is more complex than previously thought.

Key words

Acute tolerance Motor impairment Anticonvulsant Ethanol 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. D. Lê
    • 1
  • M. Mana
    • 3
  • B. Quan
    • 1
  • H. Kalant
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Primary Mechanisms Research and DevelopmentAddiction Research Foundation of OntarioTorontoCanada
  2. 2.Department of PharmacologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
  3. 3.Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghUSA

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