Acute ethanol effects on sensory/motor function in baboons with a history of chronic ethanol ingestion

Robert D. Hienz, Danielle A. Bowers, Debra J. Spear, Joseph V. Brady

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Baboons with a history of chronic, daily ethanol ingestion were subsequently studied under conditions that assessed the effects of acute oral self-administration of ethanol on auditory and visual threshold functions and reaction times. During the post-chronic experiment reported herein, the animals consumed specific amounts of ethanol twice weekly (0.1, 0.32, 1.0 or 1.3 g/kg), following which they immediately performed psychophysical tests designed to assess ethanol's effects on sensory thresholds and reaction times. Clear, dose-related increases in reaction times were observed following ethanol doses greater than 0.32 g/kg. Trends within individual threshold functions were consistent with systematic changes in auditory and visual threshold sensitivities of 1-3 dB at the high ethanol doses. Reaction time increases ranged from 25 to 180 ms above baseline levels at the highest dose (a 15% average increase). These general findings however, were in contrast to data obtained in the same animals under conditions of daily, chronic ethanol administration which characteristically showed greater sensory/motor effects of up to twice the magnitude of those observed with single doses.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)85-100
Number of pages16
JournalDrug and alcohol dependence
Volume30
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1992

Keywords

  • baboon
  • ethanol
  • hearing
  • reaction time
  • vision

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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