Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
05:12
Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
Cued unpredictable intermittent access exacerbates loss of control over ethanol drinking
Eric H Mitten1, Jada M Caldwell1, Gerardo Zambrano1
1Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Neuropharmacology
|August 3, 2026
Summary
Unpredictable, intermittent access (uIntA) to ethanol drinking in rats increased alcohol consumption escalation and aversion-resistant drinking compared to continuous access. This preclinical model helps study alcohol use disorder (AUD) loss of control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Loss of control over drinking is a key feature of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Preclinical models often use ethanol consumption escalation and aversion-resistant drinking to study AUD.
- The effect of unpredictable, intermittent access (uIntA) on voluntary ethanol consumption was previously unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of uIntA on voluntary ethanol consumption in rats.
- To compare uIntA with continuous access (ContA) in modeling AUD phenotypes.
- To assess uIntA's role in dependence-induced escalation and aversion-resistant drinking.
Main Methods:
- Male and female Long-Evans rats (n=9-10/group) experienced daily voluntary ethanol (20%) access under ContA or uIntA schedules for seven weeks.
- Dependence was induced via chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure.
- Aversion-resistant drinking was tested by adulterating ethanol with quinine.
Main Results:
- Both ContA and uIntA groups showed similar baseline ethanol consumption.
- uIntA significantly increased dependence-induced ethanol consumption escalation compared to ContA.
- uIntA promoted aversion-resistant drinking in ethanol-dependent rats, unlike ContA.
Conclusions:
- uIntA intensifies ethanol drinking, dependence-induced escalation, and aversion-resistant consumption compared to ContA.
- uIntA serves as a valuable preclinical tool for investigating the neurobiological factors of drinking loss of control in AUD.
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