title: A mouse model of alcoholism.
abstract: A model of alcoholism should demonstrate self-administration of alcohol by the animal and a withdrawal syndrome when the animal no longer has access to the drug. A mouse model is described that meets these criteria and enables the induction of "alcoholism" in a large number of animals within a short period of time. Mice were injected daily with pyrazole, an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase. The animals self-administered ethanol by inhaling vapour containing a relatively constant concentration of ethanol. Self-administration was voluntary: the mice could move to a chamber without ethanol vapour. During the first six days of each experiment, the animals were prompted to select the ethanol chamber by darkening that chamber. Most mice continued to self-administer ethanol without any prompting for at least 3 days; thereafter, preference for ethanol waned. Self-administration led to measurable levels of ethanol in blood and to the development of withdrawal when infusion of vapour was stopped.
mesh_terms: D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009115:Muridae
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol