Citation

Dickerson D, Pittman B, Ralevski E, Perrino A, Limoncelli D, Edgecombe J, Acampora G, Krystal J, Petrakis I. J. Psychopharmacol. 2010; 24(2): 203-211.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0269881108098612

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA_A) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors mediate aspects of the behavioural effects of alcohol. Prior studies reported drugs that block NMDA receptors or facilitate GABA_A receptor function produce ethanol-like effects in humans. The purpose of this study was to compare the ethanol-related effects of two pharmacological agents with known NMDA and GABA_A receptor activity. As part of an ongoing, larger study, 28 subjects (age, 21—30) with no personal or family histories of alcoholism were administered subanesthetic doses of the GABA_A receptor agonist thiopental, the NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine and placebo on three separate test days. Various ethanol-related measures were administered. At doses of thiopental and ketamine that produced similar levels of sedation and cognitive effects, both agents produced significant ethanol-like effects and subjective intoxication. However, the intensity of the ethanol-like effects of ketamine was greater than that of thiopental. In addition, ketamine produced alterations in perception that were not produced by thiopental. These data provide further support for a model where GABA_A receptor facilitation may contribute significantly to ethanol effects associated with social drinking, whereas NMDA receptor antagonism may contribute to relatively greater extent to features of ethanol ‘intoxication’.