Genetic-environment analysis of sensitivity and acute tolerance to ethanol in mice

The purpose of this study was to characterize initial sensitivity (IS), acute functional tolerance (AFT), and rate of tolerance development to ethanol in lines of mice selected for aggression mice as well as to investigate the impact of isolate housing on these phenotypes. The results showed that for IS, there were no differences among treatment groups. For acute tolerance and rate of tolerance development, a Line x Sex x Housing interaction was present, with the response to housing being more pronounced in the low aggressive line than the high aggressive line, and the females being more affected than the males. Correlational analysis showed low to moderate associations between rate of tolerance development and IS, as well as between rate of tolerance and AFT. Housing condition significantly influenced female expression of ethanol phenotypes as compared to males. The line of the subject also influenced the magnitude of expression of these phenotypes. These findings suggest that environmental and genetic influences interact to influence acute tolerance and rate of tolerance development.