Adrenalectomy prevents the development of alcohol preference in male rats.
By forcing adrenalectomized (ADX) and sham-operated (SHAM) rats to chronically drink ethanol by mean of presentation of only one drinking bottle containing 10% ethanol, no differences occurred between both groups. ADX and SHAM rats were then exposed to chronic alcoholization using an inhalation procedure. After sejourning 3 weeks into the alcoholization chamber, rats were submitted to a free-choice paradigm [water vs. a 10% (v/v) ethanol solution]. The sham-operated rats presented an alcohol-induced behavioral preference towards alcohol whereas adrenalectomized animals never exhibited a preference to ethanol. In the adrenalectomized rats treatment with hydrocortisone (30 micrograms/ml) given orally during the pulmonary alcoholization failed to modify this preference whereas treatment with corticosterone (25 micrograms/ml) given orally abolished the difference with SHAM animals. These data showed that adrenalectomy prevented the development of ethanol preference and the clear involvement of the hypothalamo-pituitary-axis in alcohol preference.
Lamblin
F
F
Laboratory of Psychobiology, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
De Witte
P
P
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005518:Food Preferences; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000431:Ethanol; D003345:Corticosterone