Chronic alcohol administration in the rat pup: effects upon later consumption of alcohol and other palatable solutions

Previous studies indicate that in rats, chronic alcohol exposure during the first weeks of life markedly affect subsequent ethanol consumption patterns. The present study examined the impact of different alcohol doses (0.5-3.0 g/kg), administered between postnatal days 6-12, upon subsequent infantile consumption of an ethanol solution as well as upon intake of various non-ethanol solutions (water, sucrose, quinine or sucrose mixed with quinine). Alcohol administration did not strongly affect consumption scores of water, sucrose or quinine. In contrast, 15-day-old pups pretreated with 2.0 and 3.0 g/kg alcohol doses showed significant increases in terms of alcohol consumption when compared to saline controls. Furthermore, a positive significant correlation was observed between alcohol intake patterns and alcohol dose administered during early ontogeny. Intake of sucrose mixed with quinine was also significantly and positively correlated with pretreatment ethanol dosage. Interestingly, this taste configuration has been shown to mimic psychophysical properties of ethanol in the rat. The results appear not to be explained by teratological effects of the drug upon sensory processing of distinctive tastants. It appears that chronic alcohol exposure during early ontogeny provides specific sensory-related alcohol information that later modulates alcohol intake patterns.