Prolonged ethanol consumption influences shuttle box and passive avoidance performance in rats.

Rats were chronically maintained on an ethanol liquid diet for 16 days. Three weeks after cessation of ethanol intake, animals were tested for the acquisition of shuttle box avoidance and the retention of passive avoidance behaviour. Alcohol consuming rats showed a significant impairment of acquisition in the shuttle box task, and a slight impairment in the retention of the passive avoidance response. It is concluded that ethanol or its metabolites can induce long-term effects on learning and memory processes, even after cessation of drug consumption.