Here's what I learned today:

The mice stay in the chambers for 16 hrs with an 8 hr withdrawal period. They go back to their home cages tomorrow afternoon where they will stay in withdrawal until monday when they will be given both ethanol and water bottles to choose from. 

The air control mice do NOT get ethanol in their shots. The shots that we give the withdrawal group mice include pyrazole along with 1.5 g/(?) dose of EtOH (Ethanol) all in a saline solution.  Pyrazole is an ADH inhibitor and it allows the mice to become drunk much faster. This is necessary in the ethanol chambers because without the pyrazole, the concentration of the ethanol in would have to be much higher and might damage the mice mucous membranes (irritating their eyes/nose).

Ethanol affects the GABA and Glutamate receptors in the brain. Ethanol agonizes GABA receptors, which opens the CL- pathways. This makes the neurons negative which causes an overall decrease the neurons action potential and it's ability to fire. Their brain pretty much shuts down. This explains why people become tired when they drink. There are two types of glutamate receptors: metabatrophic (which means it uses ATP and a G-protein) and ionotrophic. Ethanol antagonizes glutamate receptors, which regulate the Ca2+ and K+ channels. Glutamate is responsible for learning and memory which is caused by the Ca2+ surge when the neurons fire. Ethanol turns this off which explains why alcohol causes slurred speech and impaired walking. To compensate, the neurons "construction crew" builds more receptors which means that now you need to drink more alcohol to have the same affect by saturating all the receptors. This is called tolerance. A hangover is withdrawal from the alcohol. Without alcohol antagonizing the excess glutamate receptors, they become hyperpolarized from the influx of Ca2+ which causes you become hyper aware and irritable. This is why people are sensitive to light and noise. This hypersensitivity can be so strong as to cause shakes and even seizures. If you choose to skip the withdrawal route and continue drinking you will eventually kill your liver because it will store fat and prevent it from functioning. Apoptosis (cell death) occurs when the body goes through withdrawal because the cells realize there is no need for the excess receptors and so they destroy them. This explains why you can become literally stupider by drinking alcohol. Anytime you drink you are perpetuating a dependent cycle. Alcohol also acts as a diuretic, which explains why you have to pee so much. This eventually dehydrates you which also explains the headache associated with a hangover. But fear not! You can avoid a hangover (according to Chris) by drinking coconut water before you go to bed. This rehydrates you and restores electrolytes. You can also take B multi-vitamin to replenish your thiamine levels because you deplete thiamine when metabolizing alcohol.

Maybe the last part will help make clear the objective of this project.