Regulation of Operant Oral Ethanol Self-Administration: A Dose–Response Curve Study in Rats

摘要

Background: Oral ethanol self-administration procedures in rats are useful preclinical tools for the evaluation of potential new pharmacotherapies as well as for the investigation into the etiology of alcohol abuse disorders and addiction. Determination of the effects of a potential treatment on a full ethanol dose–response curve should be essential to predict its clinical efficacy. Unfortunately, this approach has not been fully explored because of the aversive taste reaction to moderate to high doses of ethanol, which may interfere with consumption. In this study, we set out to determine whether a meaningful dose–response curve for oral ethanol self-administration can be obtained in rats.