Abstract
Rats selectively bred for high alcohol sleep times (HAS) and those that are less affected (LAS) by hypnotic doses (3.0–3.6 g/kg) of ethanol were tested for differential responses to the aversive effects of 1.0 g/kg ethanol in a conditioned place preference task. Likewise, the effects of 0.3–1.0 g/kg ethanol on spontaneous locomotor activity over a 30-min period, as well as the loss of righting reflex with a higher ethanol dose (3.0 g/kg), were determined in these animals. The LAS rats reacted more aversively to 1.0 g/kg during conditioned place aversion testing than the HAS animals and also had a shorter mean sleeping time following 3.0 g/kg ethanol. Furthermore, dose-related depression of spontaneous motor activity was seen in the HAS animals and not in the LAS animals over a 30-min period using doses of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0 g/kg (10% w/v) ethanol. Taken together, the results indicate that the intoxicating sequelae of high ethanol doses, such as ataxia and sedation, may not be correlated with the aversive effects of low ethanol doses.
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Schechter, M.D., Krimmer, E.C. Differences in response to the aversive properties and activity effects of low dose ethanol in LAS and HAS selectively bred rats. Psychopharmacology 107, 564–568 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245271
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245271