CATALASE INHIBITION ATTENUATES THE ACQUISITION OF ETHANOL AND SACCHARIN-QUININE CONSUMPTION IN LABORATORY RATS

Several lines of evidence suggest that the enzyme catalase plays an im portant role in many of the behavioral and reinforcing effects of etha nol, through its putative role in the central production of acetaldehy de. The role of catalase in the acquisition of voluntary ethanol consu mption was examined in the present experiments by administering the ca talase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (aminotriazole) during the pre sentation of an ascending series of concentrations of either ethanol o r saccharin-quinine solutions. Aminotriazole (0.5 g/kg) significantly attenuated consumption of both ethanol and saccharin-quinine solutions throughout the acquisition period, and this effect remained during a subsequent maintenance period during which no injections were administ ered. Drinking did recover, however, when the acquisition procedure wa s reinstated. These results suggest that the effect of aminotriazole o n the consumption of ethanol and saccharin-quinine may be the result o f a change in reactivity to taste, or an aversive effect caused by dru g administration.