Ethanol intoxication and withdrawal among three age groups of C57BL/6NNIA mice.

Data have not been forthcoming on the effects of chronic ethanol administration on intoxication and severity of withdrawal using animals representative of the life-span of a particular species. The purpose of this study was to examine ethanol intoxication and withdrawal among three age groups (3, 14, 25 months) of C57BL/6NNIA male mice. Ethanol was administered in a liquid diet for 14 days. Pair-fed control groups and laboratory chow groups were also employed. Blood ethanol levels, signs of intoxication and withdrawal, liquid diet consumption, and body weight were measured. Old mice were significantly more intoxicated than younger mice. However, young mice consumed more ethanol as compared to the older mice. Blood ethanol levels did not differ among the three age groups, although variability was high within each age group. The ethanol liquid diet groups did not show a decrease in body weight. Withdrawal was more severe for old animals than younger animals. The greater effects of ethanol observed in the old animals do not appear to be attributable to age differences in blood ethanol levels, amount of ethanol consumed, or body weight loss.