Cyanamide injections during alcohol deprivation increase alcohol drinking

Long-Evans male rats were given 7 weeks of choice between 10% ethanol and water and then were divided into 6 matched groups, 3 of which were then deprived of alcohol for 6 days. Subcutaneous cyanamide injections (10 mg/kg, 3 times daily, for 4 days) during alcohol deprivation produced a long lasting, significant increase in subsequent alcohol selection, over and above the increase produced by alcohol deprivation alone. The same injections given to a group not deprived of alcohol caused a significant suppression of alcohol drinking during the treatment and had disappeared 4 days after the last injection. Thereafter the drinking remained at the control level and did not rise to that of the group given the injections during deprivation. The groups did not differ in their subsequent selection of saline solutions.