Ethanol's influence on the stimulus level required to evoke an orienting response in goldfish.

In goldfish the heart rate orienting response to periodic photic stimuli was measured by a specially designed computer that also regulated the intensity of the stimuli to maintain the response. When ethanol was administered, the fish then exhibited orienting responses to less intense stimuli; this increased excitability was maintained for the duration of all tests (i.e., a maximum of 26 hours). There also seemed to be a residual increase of excitability lasting as long as 7 days after the ethanol was administered.