Genetic correlation between performance on an appetitive-signaled nosepoketask and voluntary ethanol consumption

The present study used a signaled appetitive nosepoke task as a measure of behavioral control or impulsivity related to reward system function in mice and determined how impulsivity correlated with voluntary ethanol consumpti on. Thirteen inbred strains were trained to nosepoke for food rewards and e ventually trained to nosepoke for reward when an auditory signal was presen ted. Efficiency in the signaled nosepoke task indicated the ability of the mice to withhold the nosepoke response until the signal to respond for a re ward was given and was considered indicative of behavioral control or impul sivity, After completion of the nosepoke task, the mice were tested for eth anol consumption in a three-bottle choice test at 3 and 10% (v/v) ethanol c oncentrations. Behavioral measures from the nosepoke task and ethanol consu mption measures were correlated to determine a genetic relationship, High e fficiency, the ability to withhold nosepoking until signaled, was negativel y correlated with ethanol consumption. Thus, the strains who were better ab le to control their behavioral responding (i.e,, less impulsive) consumed l ess ethanol, and strains who were more impulsive consumed more ethanol, Thi s genetic relationship may be a mouse behavioral model for some of the neur opsychological traits demonstrated in human subjects who are family history -positive for alcoholism.