Naturalistic studies of bar patrons suggest that caffeinated alcoholic beverages contribute to excessive alcohol consumption, in comparison to individuals consuming alcohol alone. This study was designed as a rodent model of adolescent caffeinated alcoholic beverage consumption. ETOH acquisition occurred during the adolescent period, postnatal day (PND) 28–39.
Method:
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 32) were randomly assigned to receive either alcohol (ETOH) or alcohol+caffeine (ETOH+Caffeine) in vehicle “supersac” solution (3% sucrose +0.125% saccharin). Rodents were given free access using a two-bottle choice procedure.
Results:
During acquisition (PND 31–39), ETOH+Caffeine animals consumed more fluid (mL/kg) at the 6% (v/v) compared to ETOH-only animals (p = 0.014). In addition, ETOH+Caffeine animals had greater fluid preference at the 6% (v/v) compared to ETOH only animals (p = 0.005).
Discussion:
These results suggest that ETOH+Caffeine may contribute to excessive alcohol consumption during acquisition. They further support continued study of ETOH+Caffeine in rodent models of adolescent alcohol consumption.
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