Several recent studies have emphasized that alcoholics as well as subjects with a close family history of alcoholism may have differences in their resting EEG and/or event related potentials (ERPs) and an altered reaction to acute ethanol exposure when compared to matched controls.
Our specific aims have been to develop animal """"""""correlates"""""""" of these electrophysiological measures where the cognitive, physiological, and biological mechanisms which underlie these findings observed in human populations can be explored. Studies have been conducted in heterozygous Wistar rats as well as ethanol preferring (P) and non-preferring (NP) rats in order to characterize genetically influenced variables in an animal model of voluntary ethanol consumption. The current proposal extends these studies in order to more deeply explore EEG and ERP responses to ethanol in these rats. The goals of the proposed studies are: 1) To further develop electrophysiological and behavioral measures in rats which are useful assays of genetic and neuropharmacological effects. 2) To further evaluate the innate differences in the EEG and ERPs in P and NP rats at baseline and following acute ethanol and neuropeptide exposure, by utilizing a variety of complex behavioral paradigms including ethanol self-administration. 3) To further investigate the consequences of chronic ethanol exposure on EEG and ERP responses. These studies have the potential to identify the neural substrates of encephalographic measures of ethanol's effects in addition to possibly identifying the cognitive, physiological, and/or neurochemical mechanisms which may be antecedent to alcoholism or alcohol abuse.
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