Biomedical subjects

M Ericson

Publications and source records attributed to M Ericson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

No apparent effect of surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy on heart rate variability.

BACKGROUND: Impaired cardiac autonomic function may contribute to the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Clinical observations indicate that successful epilepsy surgery is associated with a reduced risk of SUDEP. However, in a previous study we found impaired cardiac control pre-surgically in patients with poor outcome of surgery, indicating an a priori lower risk in responders to epilepsy surgery. We have now examined the effect of surgery on cardiac autonomic control in the same patients. METHODS: We used 24 h EKG recordings to assess heart rate variability (HRV) by spectral analysis in 21 consecutive patients after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. The HRV was compared with healthy controls, with pre-surgical HRV in the same patients, and analyzed in relation to seizure control 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: The patients with poor outcome after surgery had significantly lower SD of RR-intervals, total power, very low frequency power and low frequency power than matched healthy controls. The patients with favorable outcome did not differ from the controls, and the postoperative HRV was not different from HRV before surgery in any of the patient groups. CONCLUSION: We could not demonstrate any effect on HRV of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery in these patients. The observed lower HRV in the poor outcome group was present already before epilepsy surgery as previously reported. Although our results need confirmation in a larger study, the observations suggest that the increased risk of SUDEP in patients failing epilepsy surgery may be due to a common factor predisposing to surgical failure, impaired HRV as well as to an increased risk of SUDEP.

Autonomic Nervous System↗

PubMed2005

Preoperative heart rate variability in relation to surgery outcome in refractory epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy patients may have an impaired autonomic cardiac control, which has been associated with an increased incidence of sudden unexpected death among people with epilepsy (SUDEP). The risk of SUDEP is particularly high among epilepsy surgery candidates with refractory epilepsy. This risk seems to be reduced after successful surgery but whether this is an effect of surgery or reflects pre-existing differences between good and poor responders is under debate. METHODS: We used spectral analysis to analyze prospectively heart rate variability (HRV) preoperatively in 21 consecutive patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who were planned for epilepsy surgery. The presurgical HRV based on ambulatory 24 hours EKG recordings was analyzed in relation to seizure control at 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Patients had significantly lower SD of RR-intervals, total power, very low frequency power and low frequency power than matched healthy controls. Patients with good outcome of surgery (Engel class I; n = 11) did not differ from their controls while those with poor outcome (Engel class II-IV; n = 10) had significantly lower power in all domains than those with a favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of heart rate variability preoperatively indicate that patients with a poor outcome of surgery have a more pronounced impairment of sympathetic as well as parasympathetic cardiac control than those with good outcome. Reduced heart rate variability may be associated with an increased risk of sudden unexpected death among people with epilepsy (SUDEP). Good surgery candidates may a priori have a lower risk of SUDEP.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗

PubMed2005

Wine drinking is associated with increased heart rate variability in women with coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that alcohol consumption is positively related to heart rate variability (HRV) in women with coronary heart disease (CHD) and therefore that cardiac autonomic activity is potentially implicated in the mediation of the favourable effects of moderate drinking. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PATIENTS: Cross sectional study of female patients who survived hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction or underwent a revascularisation procedure, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass grafting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ambulatory 24 hour ECG was recorded during normal activities. The mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all five minute segments of the entire recording (SDNNI) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high frequency power, low frequency power, and very low frequency power. A standardised questionnaire evaluated self reported consumption of individual alcoholic beverage types: beer, wine, and spirits. Other clinical characteristics, such as age, body mass index, smoking habits, history of diabetes mellitus, menopausal status, educational status, and treatment, were also assessed. RESULTS: Wine intake was associated with increased HRV in both time and frequency domains independently of other clinical covariates (for example, ln SDNNI was 3.89 among wine drinkers v 3.59 among wine non-drinkers in the multivariate model; p = 0.014). In contrast, consumption of beer and spirits and the total amount of alcohol consumed did not relate significantly to any of the HRV parameters. CONCLUSION: Intake of wine, but not of spirits or beer, is positively and independently associated with HRV in women with CHD. These results may contribute to the understanding of the complex relation between alcohol consumption and CHD.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Heart rate variability in long-term risk assessment in middle-aged women with coronary heart disease: The Stockholm Female Coronary Risk Study.

OBJECTIVES: Low heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with poor prognosis after acute coronary events in men. In women, the prognostic impact is not well documented. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term predictive power of HRV on mortality amongst middle-aged women with coronary heart disease (CHD). DESIGN, SETTINGS AND SUBJECTS: Consecutive women below 65 years hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome during a 3-year period in Stockholm were examined for cardiovascular prognostic factors including HRV, and followed for a median of 9 years. An ambulatory 24-h electrocardiograph was recorded during normal activities, 3-6 months after hospitalization. SDNN index (mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all 5-min segments of the entire recording) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, very-low frequency (VLF) power and LF/HF ratio. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, the hazard ratios (HR) for each 25% decrease of the HRV parameters were assessed. RESULTS: After controlling for the independent, significant predictors of mortality amongst the clinical variables, the following HRV parameters were found to be significant predictors of all-cause mortality: SDNN index [HR 1.56, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.19-2.05], total power (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08-1.35), VLF power (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.36), LF power (HR 1.18 95%, CI 1.07-1.30) and HF power (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.33). The results were essentially the same when cardiovascular mortality was used as end-points. The HRV parameters were stronger predictors of mortality in the first 5 years following the index event. CONCLUSION: Low HRV is a predictor of long-term mortality amongst middle-aged women with CHD when measured 3-6 months after hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome, even after controlling for established clinical prognostic markers.

Cohort Studies↗

PubMed2004

Inflammatory markers and heart rate variability in women with coronary heart disease.

PURPOSE: Both heart rate variability (HRV) and inflammatory markers are carrying prognostic information in coronary heart disease (CHD), however, we know of no studies examining their relation in CHD. The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess the association between HRV and inflammatory activity, as reflected by the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and C-reactive protein (CRP). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Consecutive women patients who survived hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, and/or underwent a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or a coronary artery bypass grafting were included and evaluated in a stable condition 1 year after the index events. An ambulatory 24-h ECG was recorded during normal activities. SDNN index (mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all 5-min segments of the entire recording) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high frequency (HF) power, low frequency (LF) power and very low frequency (VLF) power. Levels of high-sensitivity CRP were measured by nephelometry, IL-6 and IL-1ra concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Levels of IL-6 showed an inverse relation with HRV measures even after controlling for potential confounding factors. The P-values were 0.02, 0.04, 0.01, 0.03, 0.18 for the multivariate association with SDDN index, total power, VLF power, LF power and HF power respectively. In contrast, the inverse relationship between HRV measures and CRP or IL-1ra levels were weak and nonsignificant. Correlation coefficients for the relationship between IL-6 and HRV measures were both uni- and multivariately higher than for the relationship between HRV measures and any other factors evaluated in this study. CONCLUSION: Concentration of IL-6 showed a negative, independent association with HRV in women with CHD. Thus, increased inflammatory activity, as reflected by IL-6 levels, may represent a new auxiliary mechanism linking decreased HRV to poor prognosis in CHD.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Pain caused by photodynamic therapy of skin cancer.

Pain resulting from photodynamic therapy (PDT) of skin cancer was investigated. The study included 69 lesions (60 patients) with different types of skin tumours or precursors. Protoporphyrin IX, which is produced by the topical application of delta-aminolevulinic acid, was used as a photosensitizing agent. Twenty-three of the lesions (19 patients) were examined with a fluorescence imaging system which demarcates the tumour area from the healthy skin and visualizes the contrast between the fluorescence from healthy skin and that from the tumour. EMLA is used on all patients as part of our routine PDT protocol but despite this the major side-effect of PDT is pain during treatment. There is a large variation in pain intensity experienced by the patients, as measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients with actinic keratoses experienced more pain than those with Bowen's disease or basal cell carcinoma. The mean VAS score was higher when treating lesions located on the head than when treating lesions on the torso or the extremities. Also, treatment of large skin areas resulted in more pain than treatment of small areas, and men experienced more pain than women. The pain experienced by the patients did not correlate with treatment dose, Fitzpatrick skin type, age or fluorescence intensity.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Abnormal heart rate response to hypercapnia in boys with an apparent life-threatening event.

AIM: To determine instantaneous cardiac variability responses to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) during quiet sleep in infants who may be at risk for the Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS). METHODS: The cardiac rate variability before, during and after a CO2 challenge was examined in 41 infants who had experienced an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) and 41 gender- and age-matched control infants. RESULTS: The ALTE infants responded to CO2 breathing with a significant increase in R-R intervals, i.e. decreases in heart rate, compared to the controls (45.1% increase in R-R intervals vs. 41.4%; p = 0.005). The differences between ALTE infants and controls depended primarily on the boys' responses. CONCLUSION: ALTE infants, particularly ALTE boys, have an autonomic dysfunction-lower sympathetic stimulation and/or inhibited vagal withdrawal when stressed with CO2. The outcome might provide clues to the mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular processes contributing to the terminal event in SIDS.

Autonomic Nervous System↗

PubMed2002

Prognostic implications of autonomic function assessed by analyses of catecholamines and heart rate variability in stable angina pectoris.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic impact of autonomic activity, as reflected by catecholamines and heart rate variability (HRV), in patients with stable angina pectoris. DESIGN: Double blind, randomised treatment with metoprolol or verapamil. 24 hour ambulatory ECG, used for frequency domain analyses of HRV, and symptom limited exercise tests at baseline and after one month of treatment. Catecholamine concentrations were measured in plasma (rest and exercise) and urine. SETTING: Single centre at a university hospital. PATIENTS: 641 patients (449 men) with stable angina pectoris. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiovascular (CV) death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS: During follow up (median 40 months) there were 27 CV deaths and 26 MIs. Patients who died of CV causes had lower total power and high (HF), low (LF), and very low (VLF) frequency components of HRV. HRV was not altered in patients who suffered non-fatal MI. Catecholamines did not differ between patients with and those without events. Metoprolol increased HRV. Verapamil decreased noradrenaline (norepinephrine) excretion. Multivariate Cox analyses showed that total power, HF, LF, and VLF independently predicted CV death (also non-sudden death) but not MI. LF:HF ratios and catecholamines were not related to prognosis. Treatment effects on HRV did not influence prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Low HRV predicted CV death but not non-fatal MI. Neither the LF:HF ratio nor catecholamines carried any prognostic information. Metoprolol and verapamil influenced LF, HF, and catecholamines differently but treatment effects were not related to prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Nicotine-induced behavioral disinhibition and ethanol preference correlate after repeated nicotine treatment.

This study investigated the effects of repeated daily nicotine (0.35 mg/kg; 15 days) treatment on behavioral inhibition and locomotor activity in the elevated plus-maze and on voluntary ethanol consumption. When challenged with nicotine before the test, rats pretreated with repeated nicotine spent more time on and made more entries onto the open arms of an elevated plus-maze than did vehicle-pretreated animals. The ethanol preference and intake, measured during 3 h after a nicotine injection, was also higher in the nicotine-pretreated animals. In ethanol consumption experiments, there was a positive correlation between the % time and % entries made onto open arms vs. the ethanol preference and intake. However, no correlation between the total number of entries made in the elevated plus-maze and the measures of ethanol consumption was observed. These findings suggest that the ability of repeated nicotine administration to increase ethanol consumption is related to development of a nicotine-induced reduction of inhibitory control rather than development of locomotor sensitization.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2001

Thoracic epidural anesthesia does not influence the occurrence of postoperative sustained atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) can reduce the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Forty-one patients undergoing CABG were treated with TEA intraoperatively and postoperatively. Another 80 patients served as the control group. The sympathetic and parasympathetic activities were evaluated by analysis of neuropeptides, catecholamines and heart rate variability (HRV), preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: Postoperative AF occurred in 31.7% of the TEA-treated patients and in 36.3% of the untreated patients (p = 0.77). TEA significantly suppressed sympathetic activity, as indicated by a less pronounced increase of norepinephrine and epinephrine (p = 0.03, p = 0.02) and a significant decrease of neuropeptide Y (p = 0.01) postoperatively in TEA-treated patients compared to untreated patients. The HRV variable expressing sympathetic activity was significantly lower and the postoperative increase in heart rate was significantly less in the TEA group than in the control group after surgery (p = 0.01, p < 0.001). Among patients developing AF, the maximal number of supraventricular premature beats per minute increased significantly in untreated patients postoperatively but remained unchanged in TEA-treated patients (p = 0.004 versus p = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: TEA has no effect on the incidence of postoperative sustained AF, despite a significant reduction in sympathetic activity.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Endurance, pain and resumption in fully flexed postures.

In this study effects of low loads in fully flexed postures were investigated. Thirteen men who were unused to the postures participated. Thirteen professional construction workers with long experience of suchlike postures were also studied. Pain reactions during and after loading were observed, as well as endurance time and the recovery process, here by studying the resumption time. Endurance and resumption times differed little from those given by models used for more common postures. Pain from the legs and not from the back limited the working ability in 86% of the endurance tests. Thirdly, the construction workers had significantly longer endurance time and shorter resumption time.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Automatic computerized analysis of heart rate variability with digital filtering of ectopic beats.

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has been used in studies of autonomic function and risk assessment in different patient groups such as in patients with diabetes mellitus, after myocardial infarction (MI) and other cardiovascular disease. Ectopic beats can, however, interfere with HRV analysis and give erroneous results. We have therefore studied the impact of ectopic beats on HRV analysis and the ability of a filter algorithm to correct this. Power spectral analysis of synthetic data with an increasing proportion of ectopic beats and 24-h Holter recordings from 98 healthy subjects and 93 post MI patients was done with and without digital filtering and interpolation of errors in the data stream. The analysis of HRV was seriously hampered by less than 1% of ectopic beats. A filter algorithm based on detection and linear interpolation of ectopic beats and other noise in the data stream corrected effectively for this in the synthetic data employed. In the healthy subjects and the post MI patients, filtering markedly reduced the extra variability related to non-normal beats. The software could automatically analyse over one hundred 24-h files in one batch. HRV analysis should include filtering for ectopic beats even with a small number of such beats. It is possible to make a fast analysis automatically even in huge clinical series, which makes it possible to use the method both clinically and in epidemiological studies.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Diminished circadian variation in heart rate variability before surgery in patients developing postoperative atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the autonomic nervous system for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass surgery. DESIGN: Eighty patients without a previous history of AF were included. The sympathetic and parasympathetic activity were evaluated by the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) in the frequency domain from 24-h Holter recordings and by measuring neuropeptides (neuropeptide Y, chromogranin A, chromogranin B, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP)) and catecholamines, obtained pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperatively, patients (36.3%) developing AF postoperatively showed a statistically significant less circadian variation in the HRV variables, the high-frequency (HF) component (p = 0.013) and the low-frequency (LF)/HF ratio (p = 0.007), than patients remaining in sinus rhythm. The HF component and PP. both reflecting parasympathetic activity, and all other variables in the frequency domain, decreased significantly after surgery in both patient groups (p < 0.0001). Although catecholamines increased significantly postoperatively in both patient groups, neither catecholamines nor neuropeptides expressing sympathetic activity, differed between the two groups. PP was, however, significantly higher in patients with postoperative AF than in those with sinus rhythm postoperatively on day 1. CONCLUSION: The diminished circadian variation in HRV before surgery and the indirect signs of a higher parasympathetic activity in patients developing postoperative AF compared with patients remaining in sinus rhythm, may indicate a propensity for AF.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Mechanisms of alcohol-nicotine interactions: alcoholics versus smokers.

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the 2000 ISBRA Meeting in Yokohama, Japan. The chairs were Toshio Narahashi and Bo Söderpalm. The presentations were (1) Nicotinic mechanisms and ethanol reinforcement: Behavioral and neurochemical studies, by Bo Söderpalm, M. Ericson, P. Olausson, and J. A. Engel; (2) Chronic nicotine and ethanol: Differential regulation in gene expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits, by X. Zhang and A. Nordberg; (3) Nicotine-ethanol interactions at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, by Toshio Narahashi, William Marszalec, and Gary L. Aistrup; (4) Relapse prevention in alcoholics by cigarette smoking? Treatment outcome in an observational study with acamprosate, by L.G. Schmidt, U. Kalouti, M. Smolka, and M. Soyka; and (5) Effect of nicotine on voluntary ethanol intake and development of alcohol dependence in male rats, by L. Hedlund and G. Wahlström.

Acamprosate↗

PubMed2001

Neurobiological processes in alcohol addiction.

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the ISBRA Meeting in Yokohama, Japan. The chairs were A. D. Lê and K. Kiianmaa. The presentations were (1) Alcohol reward and aversion, by C. L. Cunningham; (2) The role of sensitization of neuronal mechanisms in ethanol self-administration, by J. A. Engel, M. Ericson, and B. Söderpalm; (3) Alcohol self-administration in dependent animals: Neurobiological mechanisms, by G. F. Koob, A. J. Roberts, and F. Weiss; (4) Stress and relapse to alcohol, by A. D. Lê; (5) Alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats differ in locomotor activation induced by repeated morphine injections, by P. Hyytiä, S. Janhunen, J. Mikkola, P. Bäckström, and K. Kiianmaa; and (6) Initial sensitivity and acute functional tolerance to the hypnotic effects of ethanol in mice genetically selected for mild and severe ethanol withdrawal convulsions, by I. Ponomarev and J. C. Crabbe.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed2000

Nicotine induces disinhibitory behavior in the rat after subchronic peripheral nicotinic acetylcholine receptor blockade.

The present study investigated the effects of subchronic nicotine, mecamylamine and hexamethonium, alone or in combinations, on locomotor activity and behavioral inhibition. Rats were divided into groups and tested for locomotor activity after acute nicotine. The different groups received vehicle, nicotine, mecamylamine, mecamylamine+nicotine, hexamethonium (two different concentrations) and hexamethonium+nicotine injections once a day for 15 days after which they were tested for nicotine-induced locomotor activity again. Acutely, nicotine stimulated locomotor activity, and repeated daily nicotine or hexamethonium+nicotine administration sensitized the animals to this nicotine-induced locomotor stimulation (locomotor sensitization). Mecamylamine administered subchronically in combination with nicotine was able to block the induction to locomotor sensitization to nicotine. None of the nicotinic receptor antagonists induced locomotor sensitization to nicotine by themselves. In the elevated plus-maze, subchronic nicotine treatment demonstrated a nicotine-induced behavioral disinhibition, measured as an increase of time spent in and entries made into open arms. In contrast to the findings regarding locomotor sensitization, none of the antagonists counteracted the induction of this nicotine-induced behavioral disinhibition after subchronic co-treatment with nicotine. In addition, both antagonists by themselves produced a similar effect as subchronic nicotine, i.e. promoted the development of nicotine-induced disinhibitory behavior. It was concluded that the induction of locomotor sensitization to nicotine involves stimulation of central nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas the development of nicotine-induced behavioral disinhibition involves blockade of peripheral nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and that the latter, but not the former, phenomenon from a pharmacological point of view appears to be related to the increased ethanol consummatory behavior observed after subchronic nicotine administration.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Nicotinic mechanisms involved in the dopamine activating and reinforcing properties of ethanol.

Ethanol shares with all major dependence producing drugs the ability to activate brain mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons, an important part of the brain reward systems. This dopamine activation may be involved in mediating the positive reinforcing effects of ethanol. The mechanisms of action of ethanol in its activation of this dopamine system remain, however, to be elucidated. A selective pharmacological interference with these mechanisms may offer a possibility to reduce the reinforcing properties of ethanol without simultaneously interfering with the reinforcing properties of natural rewards. Ethanol has been shown to directly influence the function of various ligand-gated ion-channels. Several of these are located on or nearby mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons. One such receptor is the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The present article reviews a series of investigations aimed at investigating whether nAChRs are involved in the dopamine activating and reinforcing properties of ethanol. To this end acute and chronic behavioral and neurochemical experiments were performed in mice and rats. The results obtained indicate that central nAChRs in the ventral tegmental area are involved in mediating the mesolimbic dopamine activating and reinforcing effects of ethanol. Furthermore, the ethanol-induced activation of these receptors is probably indirect, subsequent to a primary interference of ethanol in the nucleus accumbens. Moreover, subchronic nicotine treatment enhances the reinforcing and dopamine activating properties of ethanol. This long-term effect may, however, derive from autonomic adaptations in response to intermittent blockade of peripheral nAChRs (rather than from intermittent stimulation of central receptors), and appears to be associated with development of a disinhibitory behavior that could involve also other neurotransmitters, e.g. serotonin. Taken together, these findings could provide a neurobiological explanation to the often observed co-abuse of nicotine and ethanol in man. Furthermore, since the behavioral models applied previously have predicted therapeutic drug effects in the clinic, the results suggest that selective blockade of the ventral tegmental nAChRs that are involved in the above effects may provide a new pharmacological alternative in the treatment of alcoholism.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2000

Peripheral involvement in nicotine-induced enhancement of ethanol intake.

It is a well-known fact that a large percentage of alcoholics smoke, and in the experimental rat, intermittent nicotine administration enhances ethanol intake and ethanol preference in a free-choice situation between 6% (v/v) ethanol and water. The present study focuses on the possible involvement of central and/or peripheral nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in nicotine-induced sensitization to dopamine-related behavioral effects of ethanol. Wistar rats drinking less than 60% of their total daily fluid from a 6% ethanol solution were used in the study. Nicotine, vehicle, mecamylamine, hexamethonium, mecamylamine+nicotine, and hexamethonium+nicotine were administered subchronically for 15 days. All groups, except the vehicle pre-treated group, markedly increased their ethanol preference to approximately 80%, as well as their ethanol intake. NMRI mice received the same treatments for 10 days, after which ethanol (2.5 g/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) was given acutely and locomotor activity was recorded. Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation was enhanced in most groups, as compared to the vehicle pre-treated group. Administration of quarternary autonomic drugs to ethanol high-preferring rats (hexamethonium, methscopolamine, sotalol and phentolamine) according to different acute and chronic treatment protocols indicated that the enhanced ethanol intake may involve increased ganglionic and/or peripheral muscarinic neurotransmission. Taken together, the above results indicate that peripheral mechanisms may be involved in the enhancement of dopamine-related behavioral effects of ethanol observed after subchronic intermittent treatment with nicotinic drugs.

Alcohol Drinking↗