Increased ethanol excitation of dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area after chronic ethanol treatment.

Abstract

Chronic treatment of C57BL/6J mice with ethanol injections sensitizes DA-VTA neurons to ethanol excitation and also decreases the inhibitory potency of GABA. The increase in sensitivity to ethanol excitation of dopaminergic VTA neurons after chronic ethanol treatment may increase the reward value of ethanol. This sensitization to ethanol activation may be an important change in reward area neurons and may contribute to the development of alcoholism.