Oral taurine supplementation modulates ethanol-conditioned stimulus preference.
The present study investigated the possible modulatory action of oral taurine supplementation on the rewarding and aversive properties of low and high ethanol doses in male Wistar rats. A vinegar odor stimulus was daily paired with either ethanol (0.3 or 2.0 g/kg) or saline. In addition, half of the rats were supplemented orally with taurine (0.5 g/kg/day). After eight conditioning sessions, all rats were tested for their vinegar stimulus preference or aversion. In nontaurine-treated rats, 2.0 g/kg ethanol conditioning induced a significant aversion for the vinegar stimulus, while there was no preference after 0.3 g/kg ethanol conditioning. However, in taurine-supplemented rats, the 2.0 g/kg ethanol-induced aversion for the stimulus was decreased significantly, while the rats administered the lower ethanol doses, 0.3 g/kg, in combination with taurine supplementation, demonstrated a significant stimulus preference. Such results suggest that taurine modulates some of the aversive or rewarding effects of ethanol.
Quertemont
E
E
Biologie du Comportement, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
Goffaux
V
V
Vlaminck
A M
AM
Wolf
C
C
De Witte
P
P
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D000431:Ethanol; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013654:Taurine; D000431:Ethanol