Genetically selected alcohol preferring rats to model human alcoholism.

ABSTRACT: Animal models have been successfully developed to mimic and study alcoholism. These models have the unique feature of allowing the researcher to control for the genetic characteristics of the animal, alcohol exposure and environment. Moreover, these animal models allow pharmacological, neurochemical and behavioral manipulations otherwise impossible. Unquestionably, one of the major contributions to the understanding of the neurobiological basis of alcoholism comes from data that have been obtained from the study of genetically selected alcohol preferring rat lines and from the consequences that alcohol drinking and environmental manipulations, (i.e., protracted alcohol drinking, intoxication, exposure to stress, etc.) have on them. In fact, if on the one hand genetic factors may account fo

SUBMITTER: Ciccocioppo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5152912 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature