Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 29 April 1977:
Vol. 196. no. 4289, pp. 554 - 556
DOI: 10.1126/science.557839
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 196, Issue 4289, 554-556
Copyright © 1977 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Alcohol drinking: abnormal intake caused by tetrahydropapaveroline in brain

RD Myers and CL Melchior

Tetrahydropapaveroline (THP), a dopamine-dopaldehyde condensation product, was delivered directly into the cerebral ventricle of rats automatically every 15 minutes for 12 days. The animals were given access to both water and ethylalcohol, the latter being presented in 12 concentrations from 3 to 30 percent. Within 3 to 6 days of the start of the infusion of THP, the rats, which normally rejected alcohol, drank alcohol solutions in increasingly excessive amounts; this was accompanied by symptoms that were similar to those of withdrawal and intoxication. These results provide evidence that an abnormal metabolite in the brain may produce the addictive state caused by alcoholic beverages.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Drugs of Abuse and Brain Gene Expression.
G. Torres and J. M. Horowitz (1999)
Psychosom Med 61, 630-650
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Flushing Reactions: Consequences and Mechanisms.
J. K. WILKIN (1981)
Ann Intern Med 95, 468-476
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)