DIFFERENT AFFINITY OF CORTICAL GHB BINDING-SITES IN SARDINIAN ALCOHOL-PREFERRING (SP) AND ALCOHOL-NON-PREFERRING (SNP) RATS

Specific gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) binding sites in cortical membranes of selectively bred alcohol-preferring sP and alcohol-non preferring sNP rats were compared using [2,3-H-3]GHB ligand. The sP rat line showed an increased affinity (similar to 40% lower K-d) Of both the high- and low-affinity sites in comparison with the sNP line, No significant difference in GHB receptor density (B-max) was detected between the two rat lines. The results raise the possibility that differences in GHB binding sites may play a role in the genetic predisposition to ethanol preference in our rat line.