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Characterizing conditioned reactivity to sequential alcohol-predictive cues in well-trained rats
Roberto U Cofresí1, Hongjoo J Lee2, Marie-H Monfils2
1Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States.
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
|April 11, 2018
Summary
Implicit learning about alcohol cues can lead to loss of drinking control. This study shows that visual cues and alcohol intake condition rats to seek and consume alcohol, even when intoxicated.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Addiction research
- Learning and memory
Background:
- Implicit learning of alcohol-associated cues may contribute to problematic drinking.
- Previous models utilized conditional stimuli (CS) to predict alcohol availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if houselight illumination, sipper presentation, and oral alcohol receipt control alcohol seeking and drinking.
- To determine the relationship between ingested alcohol dose and blood alcohol concentration.
- To test if conditioned responses to cues promote drinking.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained using a procedure where a houselight (CS) predicted alcohol availability.
- Ingested alcohol doses were analyzed for their effect on blood alcohol concentration.
- Cue reactivity and drinking behavior were assessed under various conditions, including intoxication and satiety.
Main Results:
- Alcohol intake established blood alcohol concentrations supporting cue conditioning.
- Houselight illumination elicited conditioned approach, sipper presentation evoked licking, and alcohol receipt promoted drinking.
- Conditioned reactivity persisted despite intoxication and satiety, with greater reactivity linked to increased drinking.
Conclusions:
- Post-ingestive alcohol effects can simultaneously condition multiple cues in rats.
- These conditioned cues play a role in triggering alcohol seeking and drinking behaviors.
- Identifying and characterizing these cues can aid in developing interventions for problematic drinking.
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