Intermittent Ethanol Drinking in Mice Increases Intake & Reduces Anxiety during Withdrawal (2013)

Undergraduate: Sherifat Ademola

Faculty Advisor: Sara Faccidomo
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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The aim of the study is to verify that intermittent self-administration elicits high ethanol intake and to determine if method alters anxiety in C57BL/6J male mice. Twenty-four mice were singly caged and divided into two cohorts: ethanol drinking mice and water drinking mice. Ethanol drinking mice received 24-hour access to 20% (w/v) ethanol and water on an intermittent schedule. Water drinking mice received continuous access to water. After one month of drinking, mice were tested for signs of anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal. Testing for anxiety-like behavior were measured using an elevated plus maze and an open field. Intermittent drinking significantly promoted high ethanol intake. Mice achieved high levels of ethanol consumption, exceeding an 80 mg/dL of blood alcohol concentration. Ethanol drinking mice spent more time and made more open are entries than water drinking mice. Behavior testing results were not sufficient to suggest that the drinking method promotes anxiety-like behavior. However, trends in data were spectated and statistical analysis suggests repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol reduces anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal. The findings of the study revealed that intermittent drinking is sufficient to elicit high ethanol intake in C57BL/6J male mice. In contrast to prediction, statistical analysis of the plus maze found that anxiety-like behaviors in mice were reduced during acute ethanol withdrawal.