Cocaine antagonizes anxiolytic effects of ethanol

Abstract

A Geller-Seifter paradigm for discerning anxiolytic and ataxic effects of drugs was used to study the interactions between low doses of ethanol and cocaine. Ethanol produced significant anxiolytic and ataxic effects at a dose of 1 g/kg. Cocaine at a dose as low as 10 mg/kg markedly antagonized the anxiolytic effect of ethanol, but simultaneously augmented ethanol's ataxic effects, as measured by response rates during a random-interval schedule. These results indicate that ethanol may interact to a significant degree with brain aminergic systems and that, contrary to popular dogma, stimulants may reverse some components of ethanol intoxication, but increase ethanol's debilitating motor effects.