Alcohol consumption alters dopamine transporter sites in Wistar–Kyoto rat brain

Even though animal and human studies show alterations in dopamine transporter (DAT) sites after alcohol withdrawal, the role of DAT in influencing either alcoholic or depressive behavior has not been examined extensively. Given that the Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rat is a putative animal model of depressive behavior, the present study examined the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on DAT sites in WKY versus Wistar (WIS) rats. Brains from both strains were sectioned for autoradiographic analysis of [3H]-GBR12935 binding to DAT sites after 24 days of alcohol exposure. The results indicated that WKY rats consumed a greater amount of alcohol (P < 0.001) than WIS rats did throughout the experiment. Autoradiographic analyses of discrete brain regions indicated that alcohol consumption increased DAT sites in a greater number of brain areas in WKY compared to WIS rats. In WKY rats, the binding of [3H]-GBR12935 to DAT sites was increased in the basolateral, central and lateral nuclei of the amygdala, lateral nucleus of the hypothalamus, olfactory tubercle, caudate–putamen, nucleus accumbens and substantia nigra (P < 0.05) and decreased in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and the CA1 region of the hippocampus. In WIS rats, alcohol consumption increased DAT sites in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, basolateral nucleus of the amygdala, ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra, and decreased DAT sites in the lateral and ventromedial hypothalamus and dentate gyrus. These results indicate a strain dependent alteration in DAT sites which may be related to altered dopamine neurotransmission in select brain regions following alcohol consumption.