title: Suppression by γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid of "Alcohol Deprivation Effect" in Rats: Preclinical Evidence of its anti-Relapse Properties.
abstract: γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) reduces (a) alcohol intake and alcohol motivational properties in alcohol-preferring rats and (b) alcohol drinking and craving for alcohol in human alcoholics. The present study was designed to extend to relapse-like drinking the capacity of GHB to suppress different alcohol-related behaviors in alcohol-preferring rats. The "alcohol deprivation effect," defined as the temporary increase in alcohol intake occurring in laboratory animals after a period of alcohol deprivation, was used as model of alcohol relapse. Acute administration of non-sedative doses of GHB (0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg, i.p.) resulted in the complete suppression of the extra-amount of alcohol consumed by Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats during the first hour of re-access to alcohol after a 14-day period of deprivation. These data demonstrate that GHB suppressed relapse-like drinking in a rat model of excessive alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cagliari, Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Mauro A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carai
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
keywords: GABAB receptor; Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats; alcohol deprivation effect; relapse-like drinking; γ-hydroxybutyric acid