TASTE REACTIVITY IN HIGH ALCOHOL-DRINKING AND LOW ALCOHOL-DRINKING RATS

High alcohol drinking (HAD) and low alcohol drinking (LAD) rats were t ested, in three exposures, for taste reactivity to five concentrations of alcohol (5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%, v/v), water, and one concentr ation each of sucrose and quinine. Of the three reactivity exposures, one was done before a 3-week period of continuous access to water and 10% alcohol, the second test was done immediately after the consumptio n period, and the final reactivity test was done after 1 month of alco hol abstinence. The results showed that the groups did not differ in r eactivity on the initial test, After the consumption tests (when the H AD rats consumed significantly more alcohol than the LAD rats), differ ences in reactivity were found: HAD rats produced significantly more i ngestive responses (which promote consumption) and significantly fewer aversive responses (which facilitate fluid rejection) than LAD rats. These differences were maintained even after 1 month of alcohol abstin ence. The present data replicate an earlier experiment with alcohol-pr eferring (P) rats and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rats, and indicate th at the selective breeding process does not produce differences in the innate perception of the taste of alcohol. However, after experience w ith drinking alcohol, rats selectively bred for high alcohol consumpti on exhibit a palatability shift reflected by high ingestive responding and little or no aversive responding. Such a shift would clearly cont ribute to the maintenance of high levels of alcohol consumption.