Sensitivity to ethanol in female mice: effects of ovariectomy and strain

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of ovariectomy (OVX) on alcohol sensitivity in mice. In the first experiment, OVX, sham-operated, and nonsurgical control C57BL mice were examined for brain alcohol levels associated with alcohol-induced motor incoordination, alcohol-induced loss of righting reflex, and voluntary alcohol consumption. The second experiment employed four strains of mice (C57BL, C3H, DBA, and Swiss Webster) to evaluate the influence of OVX on alcohol-induced spontaneous activity. Taken together, the results indicated that surgical removal of the ovaries in mice does not influence alcohol-induced motor incoordination, loss of righting reflex, or spontaneous activity. Voluntary alcohol consumption, however, was affected by ovariectomy, since mice in the OVX group consumed less alcohol relative to body weight (g/kg) than controls.