The effects of long-term ethanol on brain receptors for dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin and noradrenaline.

Rats were treated with ethanol for 11-15 days, after which the brain neurotransmitter receptors for dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin and noradrenaline were measured. The rats were intubated at 12 h intervals with 4 g/kg ethanol, and sacrificed 10 h after the last intubation. After ethanol treatment, the specific binding of 3H-haloperidol to dopamine receptors was significantly decreased in the mesolimbic areas by 20 +/- 6%, but was unchanged in the striatum. Specific binding of 3H-serotonin was increased by 63 +/- 29% in the striatum and by 32 +/- 9% in the brainstem, but decreased by 20 +/- 7% in the hippocampus. The specific binding of 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors increased by 7 +/- 2% in the striatum, but decreased by 5 +/- 2% in the cerebral cortex. The specific binding of 3H-WB-4101 to alpha-adrenergic receptors was unchanged in all brain areas assayed, namely the striatum, mesolimbic areas, hippocampus, hypothalamus, brainstem and cerebral cortex. These changes may be related to some aspects of tolerance to, and dependence on, ethanol.