Saccharin consumption and the effect of a long-term exposure to a sweetened alcoholic solution in high- (UChB) and low- (UChA) alcohol-drinking rats

An association between saccharin consumption and alcohol intake has been observed in rodent lines genetically developed for alcohol preference or alcohol avoidance. It has also been proposed that a sweetened alcohol solution can condition rats to consume high amounts of alcohol. This work had two aims. First, to study the relationship between saccharin and alcohol intake in both high-alcohol-drinking UChB rats and low-alcohol-drinking UChA rats and, second, to determine whether a long-term exposure to a sweetened alcohol solution can increase their voluntary alcohol consumption. For the first purpose, UChB and UChA rats were tested under a free-choice paradigm between two graduated bottles, one containing a saccharin solution (0.1, 0.2, or 0.4% [wt/vol]) and the other water. For the second purpose, UChB and UChA rats that were under free choice between 10% alcohol and water, were offered a 10% alcohol solution containing 0.2% saccharin, instead of 10% alcohol for 1 month and were the