A near-lethal dose of ethanol, given intraperitoneally, does not affect memory consolidation of two different avoidance tasks.

Ethanol (3 g/kg, given i.p. as a 33% w/v solution), was given to adult Wistar rats 1 min after training in (1) a 50-trial session of shuttle avoidance, using buzzers and shocks, and (2) an inhibitory avoidance experience in a step-through apparatus. The animals were retested 7 days after training in condition (1), and 3 days after training in condition (2). There was no difference in retention scores between the ethanol-treated, saline-treated, or untreated animals. In addition, there was no evidence of an aversive effect of ethanol per se under any of the two training conditions, in spite of the fact that the dose of ethanol used caused a very profound ataxia, and was lethal for 14.3% of the animals (a slightly higher dose, 4 g/kg, is lethal for about 80% of our rats). These data do not favor the hypothesis that an acute administration of ethanol may influence memory consolidation.