Figure 1.

Binge-drinking model. A: Blood ethanol concentrations (BEC). BEC were measured from mice gavaged with 300 μL of the indicated concentrations of ethanol and serial blood samples collected. BEC peaked between 30 and 90 minutes and was undetectable by 5 hours. Values are mean ± SEM; n = 2 to 6 per group. B: Pulmonary aspiration ruled out by lung ethanol measurements. Ethanol concentrations were measured in BAL samples 30 minutes postgavage; all were below detection. Values are mean ± SEM; n = 7 to 8 per group. C: Pulmonary aspiration was additionally ruled out via gavaging mice with 300 μL of methylene blue in 32% ethanol solution and quantifying the dye in homogenized lung and stomach samples. Dye was undetectable in lung whereas it was measurable in stomach. Values are mean ± SEM; n = 4 per group. D: Locomotor activity monitored in gavaged mice. Subcutaneous Mini-Mitters were implanted, and 3 days later, the mice were gavaged with water or 32% ethanol to measure gross motor activity. Food withdrawal or gavage induced an increase in movement, but there was no difference between the water and ethanol groups. Values are mean ± SEM for total movement counts accumulated over 15 minutes, per mouse; n = 10 per group. *P < 0.05 BAL versus blood (B) or lung versus stomach (C), χ² analysis.