| Summary: | <p>We evaluated the effects of two alcohol induction procedures on food-reinforced lever-pressing in rats. Nine outbreed Wistar rats were assigned to one of three groups. For all subjects a fixed-ratio (FR)11 food-reinforcement schedule was established. The induction group (IG) was exposed to alcohol at increasing concentrations over the course of 10 days up to a final concentration of 10%. The non-induction group (NG) received only the 10% alcohol dose during the same period. The control group (CG) received only water and never had alcohol. After induction, the responses in two groups (IG, NG) were food-reinforced for 10 days with free access to alcohol, followed by 15 days of food reinforcement when water was made available instead of alcohol. The alternating cycle of access to alcohol and water was repeated twice more to complete the experiment. Results were as follows: Rate of reinforcement per minute was lower, body weight increased, sessions duration increased, reduced food intake decreased, and alcohol consumption increased during induction and when ethanol was available. Results are discussed by comparing the behavioral effects of alcohol and water on operant behavior.</p>
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