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Ethanol preference following the sucrose-fading initiation procedure
G A Tolliver1, K G Sadeghi, H H Samson
1Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, Seattle 98105.
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Rats initiated to lever press for ethanol showed increased preference for the alcohol. Initially low ethanol preference rats significantly increased their preference after initiation, suggesting behavioral history influences ethanol consumption.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Ethanol consumption is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding factors influencing ethanol preference is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Previous research has explored various methods for establishing ethanol self-administration in animal models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of initial ethanol preference on the acquisition of lever pressing for ethanol reinforcement.
- To determine how ethanol self-administration initiation influences subsequent ethanol preference in rats.
- To explore the relationship between behavioral history and ethanol preference.
Main Methods:
- Rats were habituated to lever pressing using a sucrose-fading procedure.
- Two-bottle preference tests (water vs. 10% ethanol) were conducted before and after ethanol reinforcement initiation.
- Rats were categorized into low (<25%) and moderate (25-50%) initial ethanol preference groups.
Main Results:
- All rats were successfully initiated to lever press for ethanol reinforcement.
- Initially low-preference rats showed a significant increase in ethanol preference post-initiation (12% to 43%).
- Moderate-preference rats exhibited only a slight increase in ethanol preference post-initiation (37% to 47%).
Conclusions:
- The sucrose-fading procedure effectively initiated lever responding for ethanol reinforcement in rats.
- Initial ethanol preference significantly impacts the change in preference following initiation.
- Behavioral history, specifically initial preference, plays a key role in shaping subsequent ethanol consumption patterns.