A difference in the effects of ethanol on ion movements in cerebral tissue slices from alcohol preferring and alcohol avoiding rats.

The sodium and potassium contents in cerebral cortex slices incubated in bicarbonate medium from alcohol preferring (AA) and alcohol avoiding (ANA) rats were measured during electrical stimulation and subsequent recovery. The intracellular quantities were estimated on the basis of the inulin distribution. The amount of intracellular potassium in unstimulated slices from the two strains was different, the AA rats showing a higher level. No differences in the entry of sodium were observed for the two strains when slices incubated with ethanol were subjected to electrical stimulation, but the loss of potassium was 46% greater in the AA rats. During recovery no ethanol-induced inhibition of theloss of sodium ions was seen in either strain, whereas the gain of potassium ions was inhibited in the ANA rats and not in the AA RATS. The potassium gain in the presence of ethanol was 42% greater during the recovery period in the AA rats.