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Genetic propensities to increase ethanol intake in response to stress: studies with selectively bred swim test susceptible (SUS), alcohol-preferring (P), and non-preferring (NP) lines of rats

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Abstract

Rationale

Swim test susceptible (SUS) rats selectively bred for reduced struggling in the forced swim test (FST) following stress show high voluntary ethanol intake like alcohol-preferring (P) rats selectively bred for ethanol preference. It is unknown whether stress enhances drinking in SUS rats or FST behavior in P and non-preferring (NP) rats.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the response to stress in male SUS, Sprague-Dawley (SD), P, and NP rats on 10% ethanol drinking and FST behavior.

Methods

In experiment 1, SUS and SD rats had limited access to ethanol and water following white noise, rehousing, and forced swim stress. In experiment 2, P and NP rats received footshock, white noise, restraint, or no stress prior to the FST. Rats then had continuous access to ethanol and water, and the effects of weekly exposures to stress were measured.

Results

SUS rats drank more ethanol (M = 2.98 g/kg) than SD rats (M = 1.26 g/kg) at baseline. Stress produced sustained increases (~33% of baseline) in ethanol intake in SUS rats. NP rats spent twice as much time immobile as P rats in the FST. Stress did not alter FST behavior in P or NP rats. Only footshock produced an increase (~29%) in ethanol intake in P rats.

Conclusions

Selection for stress-induced depressive-like behavior in SUS rats is associated with enhanced stress-induced ethanol drinking. However, the selection for alcohol preference is not associated with stress-induced depressive-like behavior but is associated with footshock stress-induced ethanol drinking. In these experiments, relationships among stress, depressive-like behavior, and alcohol preference were not symmetrical.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by NIH grants AA07462 and AA015512 (IUPUI) and The Vada and Stanley Foundation of The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (Emory University). The authors would also like to thank Megan Litsheim, Lauren Kruse, and Zachary Nolan for their skilled technical assistance with the research conducted at IUPUI.

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Purdue School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Megan L. Bertholomey, Meredith L. Jensen & Robert B. Stewart

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Charles H. K. West & Jay M. Weiss

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA

    Ting-Kai Li

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Lawrence Lumeng

  5. Department of Psychology, LD 124, 402 N Blackford St., Indianapolis, IN, 40202, USA

    Robert B. Stewart

Authors
  1. Megan L. Bertholomey
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  2. Charles H. K. West
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  3. Meredith L. Jensen
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  4. Ting-Kai Li
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  5. Robert B. Stewart
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  7. Lawrence Lumeng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert B. Stewart.

Additional information

This research was supported by NIH grants AA07462 and AA015512 and The Vada and Stanley Foundation of The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

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Bertholomey, M.L., West, C.H.K., Jensen, M.L. et al. Genetic propensities to increase ethanol intake in response to stress: studies with selectively bred swim test susceptible (SUS), alcohol-preferring (P), and non-preferring (NP) lines of rats. Psychopharmacology 218, 157–167 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2381-6

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