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Role of acetaldehyde in ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in rats

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Abstract

Rationale

In spite of many recent studies on the effects of acetaldehyde, it is still unclear whether acetaldehyde mediates the reinforcing and/or aversive effects of ethanol.

Objectives

The present study reexamined the role of acetaldehyde in ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA). A first experiment compared ethanol- and acetaldehyde-induced CTA. In a second experiment, cyanamide, an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, was administered before conditioning with either ethanol or acetaldehyde to investigate the effects of acetaldehyde accumulation.

Methods

A classic CTA protocol was used to associate the taste of a saccharin solution with either ethanol or acetaldehyde injections. In experiment 1, saccharin consumption was followed by injections of either ethanol (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0 g/kg) or acetaldehyde (0, 100, 170 or 300 mg/kg). In experiment 2, the rats were pretreated with either saline or cyanamide (25 mg/kg) before conditioning with either ethanol or acetaldehyde.

Results

Both ethanol and acetaldehyde induced significant CTA. However, ethanol produced a very strong CTA relative to acetaldehyde that induced only a weak CTA even at toxic doses. Cyanamide pretreatments significantly potentiated ethanol- but not acetaldehyde-induced CTA.

Conclusions

The present results indicate that ethanol-induced CTA does not result from brain acetaldehyde effects. In contrast, it is suggested that the reinforcing effects of brain acetaldehyde might actually reduce ethanol-induced CTA. Our results also suggest that the inhibition of brain catalase activity may contribute to the potentiating effects of cyanamide on ethanol-induced CTA.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Belgian National Funds for Scientific Research (to Etienne Quertemont). M.D. Escarabajal was supported by a fellowship of the Consejería de Educación y Ciencia of the Junta de Andalucía, Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Psicobiología, Universidad de Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain

    M. Dolores Escarabajal

  2. Biologie du Comportement, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 1, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Philippe De Witte

  3. Laboratoire de Psychopharmacologie, Université de Liège, Boulevard du Rectorat 5/B32, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Etienne Quertemont

Authors
  1. M. Dolores Escarabajal
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  2. Philippe De Witte
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  3. Etienne Quertemont
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Correspondence to Etienne Quertemont.

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Escarabajal, M.D., De Witte, P. & Quertemont, E. Role of acetaldehyde in ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in rats. Psychopharmacology 167, 130–136 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1427-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1427-9

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