Ethanol sensitivity and consumption in F2 hybrid crosses of ANT and AT rats

ANT rats that are highly sensitive to the motor-impairing effects of moderate ethanol doses voluntarily drink less ethanol in a free-choice test between 10% (v/v) ethanol solution and water than the ethanol-insensitive AT rats, suggesting the possibility that ethanol drinking is affected by initial ethanol sensitivity. However, in the F2 hybrid crosses of ANT and AT rats, voluntary ethanol drinking did not correlate with sensitivity to the motor-impairing effects of ethanol in the tilting plane test. Therefore, initial ethanol sensitivity does not appear to be a major factor in explaining variation in voluntary ethanol drinking.