Differential effects of ethanol on punished responding in the P and NP rats.
The effects of ethanol administration (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg intraperitoneal) were examined in a conflict test in 24 alcohol-preferring (P)-rats, 17 alcohol-nonpreferring (NP)-rats, and 24 heterogeneous Wistar rats. The conflict test was a modified Geller-Seifter procedure employing an unpunished random interval 30-sec component and an incremental shock conflict component. Heterogeneous Wistar rats displayed significant increases in punished responding with doses of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g/kg of ethanol. P-rats did not show a significant increase in punished responding until 0.75 g/kg ethanol. NP rats displayed significant increases in punished responding with all doses tested (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 g/kg). There were no group differences in the effects of ethanol on unpunished responding. Thus NP-rats were more sensitive and P-rats were less sensitive to the anticonflict effects of ethanol than heterogeneous Wistar rats. The results suggest that the P and NP rats may show a profile of sensitivity to the anticonflict effects of ethanol similar to the sensitivity to the intoxicating effects of ethanol observed in family history positive and family history negative human subjects.
Department of Neuropharmacology, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California.
H A
HA
Baldwin
T L
TL
Wall
M A
MA
Schuckit
G F
GF
Koob
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011678:Punishment; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000431:Ethanol