ETHANOL SELF-ADMINISTRATION PATTERNS AND TASTE-AVERSION LEARNING ACROSS INBRED RAT STRAINS

Initial self-administration of high doses of EtOH is shown to be assoc iated in some inbred rat strains with the eventual development of a lo w preference for EtOH, presumably as a consequence of taste aversion l earning occurring during initial intake. Only modest support was obtai ned for the hypothesis that strain differences in the aversiveness of EtOH affects taste aversion learning. The instrinsic palatability of E tOH and the salience of EtOH as a conditioned stimulus may also affect EtOH preference, but there do not appear to be differences among stra ins in their general ability to form taste-toxicosis associations.