ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION IN RATS SELECTIVELY BRED FOR DIFFERENTIAL SACCHARIN INTAKE

Rat lines selectively bred for high ethanol consumption consume more s accharin solution than do their low-ethanol-consuming counterparts. Th e present study utilized the technique of reciprocal selection to exam ine the reliability of the saccharin/ethanol relationship; specificall y, consumption of 1-10% ethanol solution was measured in rats selectiv ely bred for high vs, low saccharin consumption (Occidental HiS and Lo S lines). HiS rats consumed more ethanol than did LoS rats. These resu lts support the idea that individual differences in ethanol and saccha rin consumption share some common mechanism(s). (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce Inc.