Characteristics of ethanol tolerance in alcohol drinking (AA) and alcohol avoiding (ANA) rats

The development of tolerance to ethanol was examined in two rat lines selected for high (AA) and low (ANA) ethanol consumption. In the first experiment, the acquisition of tolerance to the motor-impairment, hypothermic and hypnotic effects of ethanol produced by daily treatment with 5 g/kg ethanol for a period of 24 days was examined. Tolerance to these effects of ethanol was observed in the AA rats while marginal or no tolerance was demonstrated in the ANA rats. In the second experiment the development of rapid tolerance to the hypothermic and hypnotic effects of ethanol was examined. The hypothermic and hypnotic responses to IP injection of 3.5 g/kg ethanol were found to be attenuated in the AA but not the ANA rats by a single equivalent ethanol injection given 24 h earlier. These results suggest some relationship between the capacity to develop tolerance and voluntary ethanol intake.