Ethanol blocks tetanic and calcium-induced long-term potentiation in the hippocampal slice.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) of the CA1 population spike in the hippocampal slice was produced by a tetanic stimulus in the stratum radiatum or by doubling the calcium concentration in the medium to 4 mM for 10 min. Ethanol (0.1 M) antagonized both tetanic- and ethanol-induced LTP. Since the hippocampus is known to be involved with memory, and ethanol interferes with memory and the production of LTP, the results are consistent with the notion that LTP may be related to memory processes.