title: Effects of caffeine on social behavior, exploration and locomotor activity: interactions with ethanol.
abstract: The effects of caffeine and its interaction with ethanol were examined in a test of social behavior and a holeboard test of exploration and locomotion. Male mice were injected i.p. with 15, 30 or 60 mg/kg caffeine alone or in combination with 2 g/kg ethanol. The animals were then put in pairs into a familiar arena, or examined individually in the holeboard. Only the highest dose of caffeine (60 mg/kg) had a significant effect on the time spent in social interaction and motor activity in the social behavior test: both measures were reduced. The duration and frequency of avoidance-irritability behavior was dose-dependently increased by caffeine. In the holeboard, caffeine caused a dose-dependent increase in locomotor activity. 30 mg/kg caffeine reversed the ethanol-induced reduction of time spent in social interaction, and 60 mg/kg caffeine antagonized the ethanol-induced increase in locomotor activity in both the social behavior and holeboard tests. Caffeine's effects on ethanol-induced behavioral changes are compared with those of other drugs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hilakivi
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Durcan
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lister
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D000431:Ethanol