title: Rodent models and mechanisms of voluntary binge-like ethanol consumption: Examples, opportunities, and strategies for preclinical research.
abstract: Binge ethanol consumption has widespread negative consequences for global public health. Rodent models offer exceptional power to explore the neurobiology underlying and affected by binge-like drinking as well as target potential prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies. An important characteristic of these models is their ability to consistently produce pharmacologically-relevant blood ethanol concentration. This review examines the current available rodent models of voluntary, pre-dependent binge-like ethanol consumption and their utility in various research strategies. Studies have demonstrated that a diverse array of neurotransmitters regulate binge-like drinking, resembling some findings from other drinking models. Furthermore, repeated binge-like drinking recruits neuroadaptive mechanisms in mesolimbocortical reward circuitry. New opportunities that these models offer in the current context of mechanistic research are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
authors.forename: Brandon M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States. Electronic address: slboehm@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Boehm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D014836:Volition
keywords: Alcohol; Binge; Limited-access; Mice; Neurobiology