The effect of acute and chronic alcohol intoxication and of the syndrome of
ethanol withdrawal on the consumption of
glucose by the brain of rats was studied by means of intravascular
ethanol infusion. Infusion of
ethanol into the internal carotid artery had no effect on
glucose consumption by the brain, while its infusion into the femoral vein reduced consumption twofold. The effect was completely removed by the inhibitor of
alcohol dehydrogenase pyrazole. Chronic intoxication also caused a twofold decrease of
glucose utilization by the brain of rats. Infusion of
ethanol into the internal carotid artery of rats who were in a state of
alcoholic intoxication led to increase of
glucose consumption by the brain to the control level. Infusion of
ethanol into the femoral vein in this case had no effect on
glucose consumption by the rat brain. Utilization of
glucose by the brain diminished to an equal degree in rats suffering from the syndrome of
ethanol withdrawal and in animals who were in a state of
alcoholic intoxication. Infusion of
ethanol, both intraarterial and intravenous, had no effect on
glucose consumption by the brain. Activation and inhibition of the function of external respiration were encountered in equal concentrations of
ethanol in blood flowing from the brain, whatever the method of its infusion.