Circadian rhythm of corticosterone in mice: the effect of chronic consumption of alcohol.

The effect of chronic consumption of alcohol on the circadian variations of the plasma corticosterone investigated in DBA/2J male mice. After 15 weeks of alcohol consumption (3.8%w/v for the first week and 7.5% for subsequent weeks) the alcohol groups exhibited a flattened circadian corticosterone curve, the level being intermediate between the peak and trough values of the water control groups. The diurnal patterns of food and liquid consumption were still present at the 10th week of alcohol treatment in the alcohol groups, although the absolute amount of food and liquid consumed at each of the 6-h intervals was somewhat different between the alcohol and water groups. The blood alcohol showed a peak at early morning with the mean of 100 mg/100 ml, but the levels of alcohol during the remaining periods were remarkably stable, the means ranging from 30 to 46 mg/100 ml. Chronic consumption of alcohol, even relatively low concentrations, appears to affect the neural sites in the CNS controlling the circadian rhythm of ACTH release.