Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and level of dopamine in certain sections of the brain of rats preferring and refusing ethanol

: Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (KF 1.2.1.3) of cytosol fractions of brain structures (hypothalamus, midbrain and new cortex) as well as dophamine content in these structures were studied in comparative aspect in rats preferring and rejection ethanol. It has been shown that there were two isoforms of aldehyde dehydrogenases (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) in cytosol fractions of all investigated brain structures of animals preferring ethanol while only aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 has been found in the new cotex of rats rejecting ethanol. Thus, aldehyde-dehydrogenase activity is higher in the animals preferring ethanol than in those ones rejecting ethanol. Content of dophamine in the rats preferring ethanol is higher than in those ones rejecting ethanol both in the hypothalamus and new cortex. Differences between the studied groups of animals can underlie the pathologic attraction to alcohol.