One injection of estradiol valerate induces dramatic changes in rats' intake of alcoholic beverages.
A series of experiments investigated the effects of a single injection of estradiol valerate (EV) on female rats' consumption of alcoholic beverages. EV provides sustained release of estradiol. Just after an injection of EV, rats' intake of a palatable alcoholic beverage, which had been taken regularly before, is reduced dramatically. Subsequently, rats' intake of alcoholic beverage returns to baseline levels. With continued opportunity to drink, rats take more ethanol than controls. When EV was given 15 and 31 days before the first opportunity to drink an alcoholic beverage, female rats markedly enhanced their intake of ethanol. Once enhanced intakes emerged, they were observed with different kinds of alcoholic beverages and endured for months.
Reid
Larry D
LD
Laboratory for Psychopharmacology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Room 302, Carnegie Hall, Troy, NY 12180, USA. reidl@rpi.edu
Marinelli
Peter W
PW
Bennett
Shannon M
SM
Fiscale
Lauren T
LT
Narciso
Sandy P
SP
Oparowski
Charlotte J
CJ
Reid
Meta L
ML
Merrigan
Brooke A
BA
Moricone
John
J
Hubbell
Christopher L
CL
Gianoulakis
Christina
C
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism
D004958:Estradiol; D001615:beta-Endorphin