Effect of ethanol on potassium-stimulated and electrically stimulated acetylcholine release in vitro from rat cortical slices

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Abstract
The effects of ethanol (EtOH) on K and electrically stimulated acetylcholine (ACh) release were compared in rat cerebral cortical slices in vitro. ACh was measured by pyrolysis - GLC. Paired samples were incubated with and without 0.11 M EtOH. In the K stimulation experiments, cortical slices were serially incubated for three 45 min periods in normal incubation medium followed by 2 periods in medium containing 15 or 27 mM K+. In the electrical stimulation experiments, the cortical slices were similarly incubated for three 30 min periods without stimulation followed by 2 periods of electrical (10 Hz) stimulation. ACh output rose 20% at 15 mM K+ and 160% at 27 mM K+. Ethanol had no effect on spontaneous ACh release and did not influence the ACh response to high K+ stimulation. Electrical stimulation approximately doubled the ACh output but EtOH reduced electrically stimulated ACh release by 50-80%. These findings are compatible with the view that EtOH acts primarily on Na+ influx during the action potential.