Influences of ?-Endorphins in Ethanol Consumption Patterns and Aquisition of a Conditioned Taste Aversion Mediated by the Drug

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Published: Sep 2, 2009
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32348/1852.4206.v1.n1.5301
Keywords:
b-endorphin, conditioned taste aversion, ethanol consumption, knockout mice, opioid system

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Paula Abate
Instituto Ferreyra
Ximena Caeiro
Instituto Ferreyra
Laura Marta Vivas
Instituto Ferreyra
Juan Carlos Molina
Instituto Ferreyra

Abstract

Rewarding effects of ethanol may be mediated in part by endogenous opioids. Ethanol alters ?-endorphin synthesis and release. ?endorphin heterozygous (HT) and knockout (KO) mice consume higher levels of a low-concentrated alcohol solution and show heightened predisposition to self-administer ethanol in comparison with wild-type (WT) mice (Grisel et al., 1999). This study was conducted in order to: i) reanalyze and extend previous results in terms of ethanol consumption profiles of ?-endorphin deficient mice; and ii) analyze conditioned aversive learning mediated by ethanol postabsorptive effects as a function of genetic capabilities to synthesize ?-endorphin. In Experiment 1, mice were evaluated in terms of consumption of a low (7%) ethanol solution in a twobottle free choice paradigm. Ethanol concentration was then increased to 10 % and voluntary intake consumption was tested. WT mice displayed significantly higher consumption levels and ethanol-preference scores than did KO mice, independently from ethanol concentration. HT mice drank more ethanol than did KO mice. In Experiment 2, mice (KO, HT and WT) were tested in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm in which a sodium chloride (NaCl) solution was paired with a 2-g/kg ethanol dose. Only HT and KO displayed a conditioned aversion when using 2-g/kg ethanol as unconditioned stimulus. The present results indicate that total or partial deficiency of ?-endorphin synthesis reduces ethanol preference and consumption. Furthermore, this study indicates that the lack of ?-endorphin synthesis exacerbates ethanol’s aversive postabsorptive effects which can in turn modulate self-administration patterns of the drug.

Article Details

How to Cite
Influences of ?-Endorphins in Ethanol Consumption Patterns and Aquisition of a Conditioned Taste Aversion Mediated by the Drug. (2009). Argentinean Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 1(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.32348/1852.4206.v1.n1.5301
Issue
Vol 1, No 1 (2009): Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento
Section
Original Articles

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Author Biographies

Paula Abate, Instituto Ferreyra

Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.

Juan Carlos Molina, Instituto Ferreyra

Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.

Department of Psychology, Center for Developmental Psychobiology, Binghamton University, New York, U.S.A.

How to Cite

Influences of ?-Endorphins in Ethanol Consumption Patterns and Aquisition of a Conditioned Taste Aversion Mediated by the Drug. (2009). Argentinean Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 1(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.32348/1852.4206.v1.n1.5301

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