Effect of caffeine on alcohol consumption and alcohol-induced conditioned place preference in rodents

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to determine the effect of caffeine on alcohol consumption with or without deprivation and alcohol-induced conditioned place preference. Methods In the present study, we examined the effects of caffeine (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) on alcohol consumption in Wistar rats with or without periods of deprivation in an unlimited-access, two-bottle, free choice drinking procedure after a stable baseline alcohol consumption was established. Conditioned place preference (CPP) was established by intraperitoneal injections of alcohol (2 g/kg) in a 12-day conditioning schedule in mice. The effect of caffeine (3 mg/kg) on CPP expression was determined by a final post-conditioning test following 12 conditioning sessions with alcohol. The effect of caffeine (3 mg/kg) on the reinstatement of alcohol-induced CPP was determined in a final post-conditioning test following 12 conditioning sessions with alcohol and the extinction of alcohol-induced CPP. Results Alcohol deprivation for 3 days did not result in alcohol deprivation effect (ADE). While caffeine (10 mg/kg) caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in alcohol consumption compared with the baseline following a period of alcohol deprivation, it did not cause a change in alcohol consumption compared with the baseline in the study without alcohol deprivation phase. Caffeine significantly (p<0.05) reduced the expression of alcohol-induced CPP compared to saline and blocked the reinstatement of alcohol-induced CPP following the injection of a priming dose (0.4 g/kg) of alcohol. Conclusions Given that caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist, our findings suggest a role for adenosine receptors in the alcohol reward and alcohol-seeking behaviour.

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Increased alcohol consumption in rats after subchronic antidepressant treatment

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1017/s1461145713000217 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 (8) ◽

pp. 1809-1818 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Francisco Alén ◽

Laura Orio ◽

Miguel Á Gorriti ◽

Raquel Gómez de Heras ◽

María Teresa Ramírez-López ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Antidepressant Treatment ◽

Challenge Dose ◽

Dopaminergic Transmission ◽

Reward Circuitry ◽

Alcohol Deprivation Effect ◽

Fluoxetine Treatment ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

Deprivation Effect ◽

Increase Alcohol Consumption

AbstractThe use of antidepressants for alcoholism in humans has been a matter of controversy in recent years. Despite the existence of an important co-morbidity for depression and alcoholism, some studies suggest that the use of antidepressants could worsen the prognosis of alcoholism. However, there is a lack of studies in animal models exploring this phenomenon. In the present study, we show how the 15-d treatment with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) or venlafaxine (50 mg/kg) affected alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) and subsequent alcohol consumption. Initially, fluoxetine reduced ADE and venlafaxine did not affect it. However, in the following days, both antidepressants increased alcohol consumption, an effect that was found to last at least 5 wk. Fluoxetine treatment was shown to cause a locomotor sensitized response to a challenge dose of amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg), indicating the presence of a supersensitive dopaminergic transmission. In summary, antidepressant treatment may increase alcohol consumption in rats after a period of alcohol deprivation and this could be related to alterations in the reward circuitry. This finding confirms in an animal model previous reports in humans that may limit the use of antidepressants for alcoholism.

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The Role of Beta-Endorphin in Cocaine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Its Extinction, and Reinstatement in Male and Female Mice

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnbeh.2021.763336 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Prableen K. Singh ◽

Kabirullah Lutfy

Keyword(s):

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Opioid Peptide ◽

Place Preference ◽

Endogenous Opioids ◽

Priming Dose ◽

Male And Female ◽

Female Mice ◽

Beta Endorphin ◽

Opposite Chamber

Endogenous opioids have been implicated in cocaine reward. However, the role of each opioid peptide in this regard is unknown. Notably, the role of each peptide in extinction and reinstatement is not fully characterized. Thus, we assessed whether cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and its extinction and reinstatement would be altered in the absence of beta-endorphin. We also examined if sex-related differences would exist in these processes. Male and female mice lacking beta-endorphin and their respective controls were tested for baseline place preference on day 1. On day 2, mice were treated with saline/cocaine (15 mg/kg) and confined to the vehicle- or drug-paired chamber for 30 min, respectively. In the afternoon, mice were treated with the alternate treatment and confined to the opposite chamber. Mice were then tested for CPP on day 3. Mice then received additional conditioning on this day as well as on day 4. Mice were then tested for CPP on day 5. Mice then received extinction training on day 9. On day 10, mice were tested for extinction and then reinstatement of CPP following a priming dose of cocaine (7.5 mg/kg). Male and female mice lacking beta-endorphin did not exhibit CPP following single conditioning with cocaine. On the other hand, only male mice lacking beta-endorphin failed to show CPP after repeated conditioning. Nonetheless, reinstatement of CPP was blunted in both male and female mice lacking beta-endorphin compared to controls. The present results suggest that beta-endorphin plays a functional role in cocaine-induced CPP and its reinstatement, and sex-related differences exist in the regulatory action of beta-endorphin on the acquisition but not reinstatement of cocaine CPP.

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Spontaneous Early Withdrawal Behaviors after Chronic 24-hour Free-Choice Access to Ethanol

Alcohol and Alcoholism ◽

10.1093/alcalc/agaa040 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (5) ◽

pp. 480-488

Author(s):

Sheketha R Hauser ◽

Rebecca J Smith ◽

Jamie E Toalston ◽

Zachary A Rodd ◽

William J McBride ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Free Choice ◽

Acoustic Startle ◽

Chronic Ethanol ◽

Seizure Threshold ◽

Chronic Alcohol ◽

Chronic Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Deprivation Effect ◽

Early Withdrawal ◽

Deprivation Effect ◽

Withdrawal Behaviors

Abstract Aims Abstinence after chronic alcohol consumption leads to withdrawal symptoms, which are exacerbated after repeated cycles of relapse. This study examined withdrawal-like behaviors after chronic ethanol drinking, with or without repeated cycles of deprivation. Methods Male alcohol-preferring (P) rats had access to continuous ethanol (CE), chronic ethanol with repeated deprivation (RD), or remained ethanol naïve (EN). The RD group experienced seven cycles of 2 weeks of deprivation and 2 weeks of re-exposure to ethanol after an initial 6 weeks of ethanol access. Withdrawal was measured after an initial 24 h of ethanol re-exposure in the RD group, which coincided with the same day of ethanol access in the CE group. Withdrawal-like behavior was measured by (a) ethanol intake during the initial 24 h of re-exposure, (b) locomotor activity (LMA) in a novel field 9–13 h after removal of ethanol at the beginning of the fifth re-exposure cycle and (c) acoustic startle responding (ASR) 8–15 h after removal of ethanol at the beginning of the sixth re-exposure cycle. Results The RD rats displayed a 1-h alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) (temporary ethanol increase), relative to CE rats, during the first to fourth and seventh re-exposure cycles. RD and CE rats displayed significant increases in LMA than EN rats. Regarding ASR, RD rats displayed significantly greater ASR relative to EN rats. Conclusion This study confirms that P rats meet the animal model criterion for ethanol-associated dependence, without a reliance on either behavioral (limited fluid access) or pharmacological (seizure threshold manipulation) challenges.

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