Behavioral and Electrophysiological Effects of Ethanol on Crayfish

Abstract

In view of the fact that ethanol produces differential dose-dependent motor effects, it is possible that a correlation exists between these motor effects and effects of ethanol on the neuromuscular junction. In this study, we tested the righting response following direct exposure to 120 and 450 mM ethanol. In addition, we examined the electrophysiological effects of the same concentrations of ethanol using the superficial extensor muscle preparation. We found that 450mM ethanol significantly increased the time for righting response, while 120 mM ethanol did not have a significant effect. Moreover, both concentrations of ethanol induced significant changes in excitatory junctional potential (EJP) amplitude in superficial extensor muscles. An ethanol concentration of 450 mM resulted in near complete depression of the EJP amplitude, while 120 mM ethanol induced an increase in EJP amplitude. Although it is thought that changes at the cellular level are directly correlated to behavioral changes, the precise nature of this correlation is not well understood.