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Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice
Published on: January 7, 2019
Ethanol drinking microstructure of a high drinking in the dark selected mouse line
Amanda M Barkley-Levenson1, John C Crabbe
1Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, USA. barkleya@ohsu.edu
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|April 25, 2012
Summary
High ethanol (EtOH) drinking mice (HDID-1) exhibit larger drinking bout sizes and higher blood EtOH concentrations (BECs) compared to controls. These drinking microstructure differences contribute to increased EtOH intake in the HDID-1 line.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The High Drinking in the Dark (HDID) mouse line is a genetic model for binge-like alcohol consumption.
- Understanding ethanol (EtOH) intake patterns is crucial for studying alcohol use disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the drinking microstructure of HDID mice and their control counterparts.
- To determine how drinking patterns relate to overall EtOH intake and blood EtOH concentration (BEC).
Main Methods:
- Male mice from the HDID-1 line and HS/Npt progenitor stock were tested using 2-day and 4-day Drinking in the Dark (DID) tests.
- A 2-day 2-bottle choice DID test (EtOH vs. water) was also conducted.
- Continuous fluid intake monitoring and drinking microstructure analysis were employed.
Main Results:
- HDID-1 mice displayed more drinking bouts, shorter interbout intervals, and larger bout sizes, leading to greater total EtOH intake and higher BECs compared to HS/Npt mice.
- These differences were consistent across 2-day and 4-day DID tests.
- While no genotype differences in microstructure or total consumption were observed in the 2-bottle choice test, HDID-1 mice showed a higher preference for EtOH.
Conclusions:
- Inherent differences in drinking microstructure, particularly larger bout sizes, contribute to the higher EtOH intake observed in HDID-1 mice.
- These findings highlight the importance of drinking patterns in genetic models of high alcohol consumption.
