The microstructure of ethanol drinking: genetic and behavioral factors in the control of drinking patterns

The concept of craving can be examined in many different ways, depending up on the individual definition of the term. Using the concepts and procedures of regulatory behavior analysis, this review explores behavioral studies i n rats that have some relationships to some of the possible processes that underlie the concept of craving in humans. Data are reviewed from studies e mploying both limited and continuous access to ethanol, examining the role of access availability, ethanol initiation, response cost, time since last access, composition of the ethanol containing solution and genetic selectio n. From this review, it is clear that rat models can implicate important va riables involved in the control of human alcohol consumption.