Effects of alcohol ingestion on adrenergic nerve endings of rat atrioventricular valves

Effects of chronic ethanol feeding on sympathetic innervated organs: temporal sequence of biochemical, functional, and trophic changes

In noradrenergic nerves as well as in effector organs of the sympathetic nervous system, chronic ethanol feeding induced biochemical, functional, and trophic changes. The time sequence of modifications in the activities of tyrosine hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase, monoamine oxidase, endogenous norepinephrine levels, as well as the neuronal uptake mechanism and secretory responses to norepinephrine in the submaxillary gland of the rat, confirms that the effects of chronic ethanol administration are related to an increase in sympathetic tone.

Effects of prolonged ethanol administration on the noradrenaline levels of rat heart

The effect of prolonged administration of ethanol on the noradrenaline concentration of the heart was investigated in rats. After 4 weeks there was no difference in the catecholamine levels between control and ethanol consuming rats. After 12 and 24 weeks there was a highly significant increase in heart noradrenaline concentration in hearts of experimental rats. These findings may indicate a delay in the effect of ethanol in cardiac tissue. It is further suggested that continued exposure to high levels of catecholamine may play a role in the development of cardiomyopathy in chronic alcoholism.

[Norepinephrine levels and morphologic alterations of myocardium in chronic alcoholic rats]

Experimental alcoholism was produced in rats by giving them 32% alcohol as the only source of liquid for 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Control rats were given no alcohol. After 12 and 24 weeks on test the alcohol-fed animals developed pathologic changes and tissue catecholamine alterations of the myocardium. However after 4 weeks there were no differences in myocardial structure and norepinephrine levels between alcohol-fed and control rats. The present experiments indicate that marked increase in norepheinephrine concentration accompanies morphologic evidence of myocardial degeneration and may play a role in the development of the alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

Effect of alcohol on ganglion cells in the superior cervical ganglia of young rats

Light and electron microscopic studies on the superior cervical ganglia of young albino rats after 4 weeks of 32% alcohol ingestion indicate striking degenerative changes in sympathetic nerve cells.

Heart norepinephrine concentration after chronic alcohol ingestion in the rat

The effect of long-term alcohol ingestion on the norepinephrine concentration of the heart was investigated in rats. The alcoholic animals showed a highly significant increase in cardiac norepinephrine concentration as compared with the corresponding controls. It is further suggested that continued exposure to high levels of norepinephrine may play a role in the development of cardiomyopathy in chronic alcoholism.