Effect in vivo of a sub-hypnotic dose of ethanol on nerve conduction velocity in mice

Relative nerve conduction time (reciprocal of velocity), before and after administration of ethanol, was studied in the caudal nerves of 58 mice. Doses of 1.4, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.24 g ethanol/kg body wt., given i.p., were used. The tail was maintained at 37.0° and a control (saline) injection preceeded the ethanol injection. Doses of 1.4 and 2.0 g/kg did not produce significant effects on conduction time but doses of 2.5, 3.0, and 4.24 g/kg did, the relative conduction times twelve minutes after ethanol increasing by 1.2, 1.8, and 3.1 percent, respectively. This appears to be the first controlled demonstration of an acute $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$ effect of ethanol on conduction velocity.