title: Cell damage induced by acute and chronic ethanol administration and ethanol withdrawal in humans and laboratory animals and its attenuation by drugs
reg no: ETF5323
project type: Estonian Science Foundation research grant
subject: 3. Medical Sciences
status: completed
institution: University of Tartu
head of project: Marika Väli
duration: 01.01.2002 - 31.12.2005
description: The main aim of the work is to study cell and organ damage induced by acute and chronic ethanol administration and ethanol withdrawal syndrome in humans and laboratory animals. The second main aim of the work is to study the effects of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, neurosteroids acting at GABAA receptor-chloride ionophore complex, glucocorticoids and glucocorticoid antagonists on the signs of ethanol withdrawal and on the cell and organ damage induced by ethanol. If we demonstrate the effects of NOS inhibitors, neurosteroids and glucocorticoids on the signs of ethanol withdrawal and on the cell and organ damage it helps to elucidate the mechanism of genesis of ethanol withdrawal. The results of the work may help to find new agents for the attenuation of ethanol withdrawal signs in man and for prevention of organ damage induced by ethanol withdrawal.

project group
no name institution position  
1.Paavo PokkDepartment of PharmacologySenior assistant 
2.Eve SeppEstonian Forensic Medicine BureauForensic toxicologist 
3.Vitali VassiljevDepartment of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic MedicinePostgraduate student 
4.Marika VäliInstitute of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine of Tartu Universityassociate professor