Dissecting operant alcohol self-administration using saccharin-fading procedure

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex pathology.
• Animal models, particularly operant self-administration (OSA), are crucial for studying voluntary alcohol consumption in rodents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe critical steps for performing OSA with a saccharin-fading procedure.
• To analyze the acquisition and maintenance of OSA behavior and related variables.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 40 male Wistar rats for operant response acquisition via a saccharin-fading procedure (FR1 schedule).
• Analyzed alcohol introduction, concentration escalation, alcohol deprivation effects, and compared OSA with the Drinking in the Dark-Multiple Scheduled Access paradigm.

Main Results:

• Animals reduced lever presses as alcohol concentration increased, but consumption (g·kg⁻¹ BW) remained stable.
• Lever pressing patterns shifted at higher alcohol concentrations, with presses accumulating early in the session.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated the utility of saccharin fading for establishing OSA.
• Provided insights into the acquisition and maintenance of OSA, facilitating its understanding and application in AUD research.