Abstract

An increase in ethanol intake is observed after a period of forced abstinence in rats, a phenomenon known as «Alcohol Deprivation Effect» (ADE). Most of data confirm that the robustness of this phenomenon depends on the duration of ethanol exposure, habitually several weeks being necessary to obtain a clear response. Nevertheless, in the present study we tried to determine whether a shorter ethanol exposure is also able to induce the phenomenon. A free choice ethanol (20% v/v)/water test was offered to Sprague- Dawley rats for one week which was followed by two weeks of ethanol deprivation; when the free choice test was reintroduced a clear-cut transitory increase in ethanol preference was observed. Therefore, the ADE may be induced in rats by a short exposure to moderate concentration of ethanol voluntary drinking.