EVIDENCE THAT CHANGES IN HIPPOCAMPAL EXCITABILITY IN VITRO ARE CAUSED BY WITHDRAWAL FROM CHRONIC IN VIVO ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION

A complex pattern of changes in the field potentials recorded from mouse hippocampal slices, prepared after chronic ethanol treatment in vivo , has previously been demonstrated in this laboratory. In the present study, recordings from slices prepared immediately after 2 weeks of ethanol treatment, showed only an increase in paired pulse potentiation, compared with controls, whereas recordings made immediately after 16 weeks of ethanol administration showed decreases in the thresholds for single and multiple population spikes, increases in paired pulse potentiation and epileptiform activity. In hippocampal slices prepared after 24 hr withdrawal, following 16 weeks of ethanol treatment, there were no signs of hyperexcitability in the field potentials. Ratings of convulsive behaviour were increased in mice during a 12-hr period after withdrawal from 16 weeks of ethanol treatment. Corresponding behaviour ratings for the mice given ethanol for 2 weeks, or those withdrawn for 24 hr after 16 weeks ethanol treatment, were not significantly different from control values. It was concluded that epileptiform activity seen in hippocampal slices after prolonged ethanol administration may contribute to the ethanol withdrawal hyperexcitability seen in vivo .