Brain energy consumption in ethanol-treated, Long-Evans rats.

The cerebral metabolic rate of glucose utilization (CMRGlc) was measured in rats fed liquid diets containing ethanol for 8 wk, after removal of ethanol from the diet and after acute ethanol intoxication. Control rats were pair fed the liquid diets containing isoenergetic amounts of dextrin-maltose. Quantitative autogradiography using [6-14C]glucose measured CMRGlc at the level of individual structures. Digital image techniques created stereograms of brain energy consumption from the autoradiographs. These techniques provided information about CMRGlc throughout the brain. Rats given the ethanol liquid diet drank constantly throughout the day and night. Neuropathological examination of brain revealed no abnormalities from ethanol consumption. Acute ethanol administration to control rats produced a decrease in CMRGlc throughout the brain that was most prominent in structures concerning auditory, visual, memory and motor functions. Chronic ethanol consumption did not reduce CMRGlc to the same degree as acute ethanol intoxication; in fact, it affected only a few structures. The removal of ethanol from chronic ethanol-treated rats for a period of 18 h caused CMRGlc to rise above control values throughout the brain. However, there were no seizures or other evidence of brain dysfunction.