Effect of Naloxone on Behavioral Changes Induced by Subchronic Administration of Ethanol in Rats

Evaluation of chronic alcohol self-administration by a 3-bottle choice paradigm in adult male rats. Effects on behavioural reactivity, spatial learning and reference memory

“…The present findings are in accordance with other reports showing that moderate doses of ethanol stimulate motor activity in rodents [56,57]. The stimulatory activity of chronic ethanol on ambulation was interpreted on the basis of a reduced level of anxiety [58], an effect that was repeatedly described for ethanol by using anxietylike and defensive behavioural tests [29]. Indeed, the open-field arena is generally considered to be a stressful, fear-arousing context, aimed to the evaluation of the spontaneous exploration of the environment [59][60][61][62][63].…”

Baclofen Blocks Expression and Sensitization of Anxiety‐Like Behavior in an Animal Model of Repeated Stress and Ethanol Withdrawal

“…Although the mechanisms and pathways that mediate these actions are not fully understood, the results here support the idea that the process engaged by these agents has multiple access points that provide a promising variety of targets for continued drug development. Naloxone, while capable of reducing drinking in some animal models (Overstreet et al, 1999;Wegelius et al, 1994) and widely used clinically (e.g., in opioid overdose), did not appear to engage mechanisms associated with anxiety in this experimental paradigm or others (Alvarez et al, 1998). The lack of action in either the multiple-withdrawal or multiple stress-enhanced withdrawal designs suggests this interpretation.…”