ABSTRACT
Many studies have determined that ethanol can function as a reinforcing stimulus (Eriksson, Sinclair, & Kiianmma, 1980; Meisch, 1977: Meisch & Thompson, 1974; Woods, Fumio, & Winger, 1971). These have included a variety of animal models that have demonstrated that ethanol can maintain behavior at levels above baseline conditions. Using the intravenous route of administration, monkeys and rats will lever press to obtain ethanol injections (Deneau, Yanagita, & Seevers, 1969; Grupp, 1981; Karoly, Winger, Ikomi & Woods, 1978; Sinden & LeMagnen, 1982: Smith & Davis, 1974; Winger & Woods, 1973). Dose-related response functions have been observed at ethanol doses of 0.05 g/kg/injection or higher (Woods et al., 1971). Similar effects have been found using the intragastric route of administration (Altschuler, Weaver, & Phillips, 1975; Amit & Stern, 1971; Smith, Werner, & Davis, 1975, 1976; Yanagita & Takahashi, 1973). However, the route of self-administration most used by humans—the oral route—has been more difficult to demonstrate in animals. Thus, ethanol can function as a moderate reinforcer of behavior in nonhumans when administration methods bypass the oral stimulus properties of ethanol. When the oral route is involved, however, additional procedures are required to initiate drinking and obtain ethanol-maintained behavior.
