title: Alcoholism: is it a model for the study of disorders of mood and consummatory behavior?
abstract: Depression, eating disorders, and carbohydrate craving are frequently seen in alcoholics or recovering alcoholics. Accordingly, these disorders may share some mediating pathways. It is now well-established that there is a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. Through genetic means, our laboratory has developed an animal model of alcoholism. Free-fed Wistar rats were selectively bred for the traits of alcohol-preference (the P line) and non-preference (the NP line). After more than 20 generations of selection, the lines show a stable difference of more than six-fold in voluntary ethanol consumption. We have now shown that the P line satisfies all the perceived requirements of an animal model of alcoholism. One major discovered difference between the P and the NP line is the lowered content of serotonin in certain brain regions of the P rats. Interestingly, fluoxetine curbs the alcohol-seeking behavior of the P rats; variation in the carbohydrate content of the diet, however, does not modify voluntary ethanol intake. The P rats are similar in body weight to the NP rats, but are more active in a novel environment than the NP rats.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lumeng
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates