%0 Journal Article
%T Ethanol-like effects of thiopental and ketamine in healthy humans
%J Journal of psychopharmacology
%D 2010
%A Dickerson, D.
%A Pittman, B.
%A Ralevski, E.
%A Perrino, A.
%A Limoncelli, D.
%A Edgecombe, J.
%A Acampora, G.
%A Krystal, J.
%A Petrakis, I.
%V 24
%N 2
%P 203-211
%X The γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA<sub>A</sub>) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors mediate aspects of the behavioural effects of alcohol. Prior studies reported drugs that block NMDA receptors or facilitate GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor function produce ethanol-like effects in humans. The purpose of this study was to compare the ethanol-related effects of two pharmacological agents with known NMDA and GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor activity. As part of an ongoing, larger study, 28 subjects (age, 21—30) with no personal or family histories of alcoholism were administered subanesthetic doses of the GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor agonist thiopental, the NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine and placebo on three separate test days. Various ethanol-related measures were administered. At doses of thiopental and ketamine that produced similar levels of sedation and cognitive effects, both agents produced significant ethanol-like effects and subjective intoxication. However, the intensity of the ethanol-like effects of ketamine was greater than that of thiopental. In addition, ketamine produced alterations in perception that were not produced by thiopental. These data provide further support for a model where GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor facilitation may contribute significantly to ethanol effects associated with social drinking, whereas NMDA receptor antagonism may contribute to relatively greater extent to features of ethanol ‘intoxication’.<p />
%G 
%I SAGE Publishing
%@ 0269-8811
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881108098612