[Glucose consumption by the rat brain in ethanol intoxication and the abstinence syndrome]

Abstract

The effect of acute and chronic alcohol intoxication and of the syndrome of ethanol withdrawal on the consumption of glucose by the brain of rats was studied by means of intravascular ethanol infusion. Infusion of ethanol into the internal carotid artery had no effect on glucose consumption by the brain, while its infusion into the femoral vein reduced consumption twofold. The effect was completely removed by the inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase pyrazole. Chronic intoxication also caused a twofold decrease of glucose utilization by the brain of rats. Infusion of ethanol into the internal carotid artery of rats who were in a state of alcoholic intoxication led to increase of glucose consumption by the brain to the control level. Infusion of ethanol into the femoral vein in this case had no effect on glucose consumption by the rat brain. Utilization of glucose by the brain diminished to an equal degree in rats suffering from the syndrome of ethanol withdrawal and in animals who were in a state of alcoholic intoxication. Infusion of ethanol, both intraarterial and intravenous, had no effect on glucose consumption by the brain. Activation and inhibition of the function of external respiration were encountered in equal concentrations of ethanol in blood flowing from the brain, whatever the method of its infusion.