Age dependent changes in aversive responses of mice to ethanol and their correlation with life duration

Age dependent changes in voluntary responses to an ethanol solution were observed in CF1 male control mice, and an experimental group provided 5% sucrose (w/v) as their only liquid for ten days beginning at the age of four weeks. This was a life duration study that began when the mice were ten weeks of age. An untreated group of C57/B1 mice was similarly observed. A 3% ethanol solution (v/v) was offered the CF1 mice, and for a comparable demonstration of aversion to ethanol in C57/B1 mice, an 18% ethanol solution was required. In all three groups, the curves of decreasing proportions of behaviorally aversive mice that occurs with advancing age closely parallels the survivorship curves. In the CF1 experimentals a more rapid development of behavioral aversion during the early portion of the life cycle, and an earlier onset of its decline phase occurs. Mean life span was significantly shorter in this group than in controls. The age dependent changes in another parameter, total fluid intake per gram body weight, were compared for short-lived and long-lived subgroups of the C57/B1 mice. This ratio is relatively high early in life, decreases to significantly lower levels in adulthood, and later increase with advancing age. In the short-lived contingent lowest values are attained around the age of 40 weeks compared to 100 weeks in long-lived mice; and the subsequent phase of increasing values is similarly shifted.