Abstract
Mice selectively bred for sensitivity (COLD) or insensitivity (HOT) to the hypothermic effect of ethanol were tested in three tasks purported to assess ethanol's hedonic properties: place conditioning, taste conditioning, and ethanol drinking. In the place conditioning task, distinctive tactile (floor) stimuli were differentially paired with injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg) or saline, and preference for the tactile stimuli was assessed during a choice test without ethanol. In the taste conditioning task, fluid-deprived mice were given repeated access to saccharin followed by injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg). In the drinking task, mice were given access on alternate days to a single drinking tube containing water or ethanol in a concentration that gradually increased from 1 to 12% (v/v) over days. HOT mice showed greater conditioned preference for ethanol-paired tactile cues, greater aversion for ethanol-paired flavor cues, and drank less ethanol at concentrations above 5% than COLD mice. HOT mice also showed higher levels of ethanol-stimulated activity than COLD mice. Control experiments indicated that the lines did not differ in initial preference for the tactile and flavor stimuli used in the conditioning tasks. Because the same line differences were seen in mice selected from two genetically independent populations, these studies offer strong evidence of genetic correlations between ethanol's thermal effect and its effect on activity, place conditioning and taste conditioning. Evidence of a genetic correlation between ethanol's thermal effect and ethanol drinking, however, is weaker since it is based on a line difference observed in only one of the genetic replicates. In general, these findings suggest commonality in the biological mechanisms underlying ethanol's thermal effect and its effect in each behavioral task. This overall pattern of genetic correlations might indicate that these tasks measure the same motivational effect of ethanol.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 84-92 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Psychopharmacology |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1991 |
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Keywords
- Body temperature
- Conditioned place preference
- Conditioned taste aversion
- Ethanol drinking
- locomotor activity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
Cite this
Assessment of ethanol's hedonic effects in mice selectively bred for sensitivity to ethanol-induced hypothermia. / Cunningham, Christopher; Hallett, Cheryl L.; Niehus, Douglas R.; Hunter, Jill S.; Nouth, Lena; Risinger, Fred O.
In: Psychopharmacology, Vol. 105, No. 1, 03.1991, p. 84-92.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of ethanol's hedonic effects in mice selectively bred for sensitivity to ethanol-induced hypothermia
AU - Cunningham, Christopher
AU - Hallett, Cheryl L.
AU - Niehus, Douglas R.
AU - Hunter, Jill S.
AU - Nouth, Lena
AU - Risinger, Fred O.
PY - 1991/3
Y1 - 1991/3
N2 - Mice selectively bred for sensitivity (COLD) or insensitivity (HOT) to the hypothermic effect of ethanol were tested in three tasks purported to assess ethanol's hedonic properties: place conditioning, taste conditioning, and ethanol drinking. In the place conditioning task, distinctive tactile (floor) stimuli were differentially paired with injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg) or saline, and preference for the tactile stimuli was assessed during a choice test without ethanol. In the taste conditioning task, fluid-deprived mice were given repeated access to saccharin followed by injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg). In the drinking task, mice were given access on alternate days to a single drinking tube containing water or ethanol in a concentration that gradually increased from 1 to 12% (v/v) over days. HOT mice showed greater conditioned preference for ethanol-paired tactile cues, greater aversion for ethanol-paired flavor cues, and drank less ethanol at concentrations above 5% than COLD mice. HOT mice also showed higher levels of ethanol-stimulated activity than COLD mice. Control experiments indicated that the lines did not differ in initial preference for the tactile and flavor stimuli used in the conditioning tasks. Because the same line differences were seen in mice selected from two genetically independent populations, these studies offer strong evidence of genetic correlations between ethanol's thermal effect and its effect on activity, place conditioning and taste conditioning. Evidence of a genetic correlation between ethanol's thermal effect and ethanol drinking, however, is weaker since it is based on a line difference observed in only one of the genetic replicates. In general, these findings suggest commonality in the biological mechanisms underlying ethanol's thermal effect and its effect in each behavioral task. This overall pattern of genetic correlations might indicate that these tasks measure the same motivational effect of ethanol.
AB - Mice selectively bred for sensitivity (COLD) or insensitivity (HOT) to the hypothermic effect of ethanol were tested in three tasks purported to assess ethanol's hedonic properties: place conditioning, taste conditioning, and ethanol drinking. In the place conditioning task, distinctive tactile (floor) stimuli were differentially paired with injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg) or saline, and preference for the tactile stimuli was assessed during a choice test without ethanol. In the taste conditioning task, fluid-deprived mice were given repeated access to saccharin followed by injection of ethanol (2.25 g/kg). In the drinking task, mice were given access on alternate days to a single drinking tube containing water or ethanol in a concentration that gradually increased from 1 to 12% (v/v) over days. HOT mice showed greater conditioned preference for ethanol-paired tactile cues, greater aversion for ethanol-paired flavor cues, and drank less ethanol at concentrations above 5% than COLD mice. HOT mice also showed higher levels of ethanol-stimulated activity than COLD mice. Control experiments indicated that the lines did not differ in initial preference for the tactile and flavor stimuli used in the conditioning tasks. Because the same line differences were seen in mice selected from two genetically independent populations, these studies offer strong evidence of genetic correlations between ethanol's thermal effect and its effect on activity, place conditioning and taste conditioning. Evidence of a genetic correlation between ethanol's thermal effect and ethanol drinking, however, is weaker since it is based on a line difference observed in only one of the genetic replicates. In general, these findings suggest commonality in the biological mechanisms underlying ethanol's thermal effect and its effect in each behavioral task. This overall pattern of genetic correlations might indicate that these tasks measure the same motivational effect of ethanol.
KW - Body temperature
KW - Conditioned place preference
KW - Conditioned taste aversion
KW - Ethanol drinking
KW - locomotor activity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025851396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025851396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF02316868
DO - 10.1007/BF02316868
M3 - Article
C2 - 1745716
AN - SCOPUS:0025851396
VL - 105
SP - 84
EP - 92
JO - Psychopharmacology
JF - Psychopharmacology
SN - 0033-3158
IS - 1
ER -