title: Shock induced alcohol consumption in rats: role of initial preference.
abstract: In three experiments it was found that the effects of inescapable unavoidable shocks upon alcohol intake were dependent upon the initial preference displayed by the animal. When animals displayed a low initial preference for alcohol (Experiment 1) shock stress led to an increase in daily alcohol intake. When animals displayed a high initial preference for alcohol due to the addition of a preferred flavour (Experiment 2) or forced acclimation (Experiment 3) shock stress led to a decrease in daily alcohol intake. It is suggested that alcohol is consumed as a function of the punishing and discriminative properties of the shocks, not to alleviate stress through its pharmacological properties.
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004597:Electroshock; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology