CHRONIC ACAMPROSATE ELIMINATES THE ALCOHOL DEPRIVATION EFFECT WHILE HAVING LIMITED EFFECTS ON BASE-LINE RESPONDING FOR ETHANOL IN RATS

Acamprosate (calcium-acetyl homotaurinate) is a relatively new compoun d developed for the treatment of alcoholism and has been shown to be e ffective in attenuating relapse in human alcoholics. In the current st udy, the effects of this drug were further examined using an animal mo del of oral ethanol self-administration in a limited access paradigm. Male Wistar rats were trained to respond for ethanol (10% w/v) or wate r in a two-lever free-choice operant condition. Acute administration a camprosate (400 mg/kg) reduced ethanol consumption and increased respo nding for water. Chronic administration of lower daily doses of acampr osate (100 and 200 mg/kg) blocked the increased ethanol consumption ty pically observed in rats after an imposed abstinence period. This effe ct of acamprosate was selective for ethanol, as responding for water w as unaffected at any dose tested. These results with rats suggest a mo del by which to explore the mechanisms for anti-relapse effects of aca mprosate. (C) 1998 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Publis hed by Elsevier Science Inc.