Saccharin consumption and the effect of a long-term exposure to a sweetened alcoholic solution in high- (UChB) and low- (UChA) alcohol-drinking rats

Abstract

An association between saccharin consumption and alcohol intake has been observed in rodent lines genetically developed for alcohol preference or alcohol avoidance. It has also been proposed that a sweetened alcohol solution can condition rats to consume high amounts of alcohol. This work had two aims. First, to study the relationship between saccharin and alcohol intake in both high-alcohol-drinking UChB rats and low-alcohol-drinking UChA rats and, second, to determine whether a long-term exposure to a sweetened alcohol solution can increase their voluntary alcohol consumption. For the first purpose, UChB and UChA rats were tested under a free-choice paradigm between two graduated bottles, one containing a saccharin solution (0.1, 0.2, or 0.4% [wt/vol]) and the other water. For the second purpose, UChB and UChA rats that were under free choice between 10% alcohol and water, were offered a 10% alcohol solution containing 0.2% saccharin, instead of 10% alcohol for 1 month and were then