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The role of setting in the oral self-administration of alcohol in the rat

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 22:57 authored by Arianna Testa, Paolo Nencini, Aldo Badiani
RATIONALE We have previously found that rats that were kept at all times in the self-administration (SA) chambers (resident group) self-administered more heroin than rats that were transferred to the SA chambers immediately before testing (Non-Resident group). Alcohol resembles heroin in its ability to produce, at recreational doses, mood elevation, euphoria, drowsiness, and sedation. Furthermore, alcohol presents some similarities with the mechanisms of action of heroin at the levels of the mesostriatal circuitry. Therefore, we predicted that, as for heroin, alcohol intake would be greater in the Resident than in the Non-Resident group. MATERIALS AND METHODS In Experiment 1, oral self-administration of ethanol and wine solutions (2.5%, 5%, and 10%, v/v) was assessed in Resident and Non-Resident rats using both one-bottle (three sessions) and two-bottle (seven sessions) tests. In addition, we also assessed the intake of water (Experiment 2) and of 0.04% saccharin-0.003% quinine solution (Experiment 3). RESULTS During the one-bottle sessions, alcohol intake of Resident rats was up to two times that of Non-Resident rats. During the two-bottle sessions, Resident rats drank two times more 5% alcohol than water, whereas Non-Resident rats took equal amount of the two fluids. The average daily intake of pure ethanol for Resident rats given access to 5% solutions was 0.71?±?0.076 vs. 0.46?±?0.078 g/kg for Non-Resident rats. No group differences in the intake of water and of saccharin-quinine solution were found. CONCLUSION The present report demonstrates at a preclinical level the importance of setting for alcohol self-administration.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Psychopharmacology

ISSN

1432-2072

Publisher

Springer

Issue

4

Volume

215

Page range

749-760

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-10-28

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2015-10-28

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