Monoamines and the effect of ethanol on corticosterone and non-esterified fatty acids.

The effect of locus coeruleus lesions, DSP-4 neurotoxin, intraventricular propranolol and dorsal or median raphe lesions on ethanol-induced elevations of corticosterone and NEFA were examined in rats. Locus coeruleus lesions, DSP-4 and propranolol attenuated ethanol-induced elevations of NEFA, but not corticosterone. Dorsal raphe lesions attenuated the action of ethanol on corticosterone but not NEFA. It is hypothesized that ethanol's action on NEFA levels is mediated by a central noradrenergic system, whereas, its action on corticosterone levels involves the central serotonergic system.