Ethanol prevents stress-induced increase in cortical DOPAC: reversal by RO 15-4513

Electric foot-shock increased DOPAC and decreased DA levels by about 70 and 20% respectively in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats. Pretreatment with diazepam (5 mg/kg IP) or ethanol (1.2 g/kg orally) prevented these stress-induced changes. The protective effect of diazepam and ethanol was eliminated by RO 15-4513 (5 mg/kg IP) a partial inverse benzodiazepine agonist.