The impact of moderate daily alcohol consumption on aggression and the formation of dominance hierarchies in rats

Elizabeth A. Duncan; Kellie L.K. Tamashiro; Mary M.N. Nguyen; Stacy R. Gardner; Stephen C. Woods; Randall R. Sakai

doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0536-7

The impact of moderate daily alcohol consumption on aggression and the formation of dominance hierarchies in rats

Elizabeth A. Duncan, Kellie L.K. Tamashiro, Mary M.N. Nguyen, Stacy R. Gardner, Stephen C. Woods, Randall R. Sakai

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rationale and objective: Group-housed male rats form social hierarchies, and under these conditions, it has been reported that subordinate (SUB) rats consume more alcohol than dominant (DOM) rats. We tested the hypothesis that a history of drinking alcohol would cause SUB rats to consume even greater amounts of alcohol. Methods: Male Long-Evans rats were trained to drink 10% alcohol or a sucrose/quinine solution equal in calories for 1 h/day using a sucrose-fading procedure. Subsequently, rats were housed in colonies (four males, two females) in a visible burrow system (VBS) for 14 days. Individual control male rats were housed in a tub cage with one female. Rats were removed from the VBS (or control environment) daily and given 1 h to drink alcohol or sucrose/quinine. Results: Colonies given daily access to sucrose/quinine formed clear DOM/SUB relationships in all measured parameters. Alcohol-drinking colonies failed to establish a dominance hierarchy and displayed little aggression, with an average of 14.6 ± 6.1 offensive attacks compared with 58.5 ± 12.3 attacks carried out by DOM sucrose/quinine rats. During VBS housing, alcohol and sucrose/quinine intake decreased independent of housing environment or social status. Conclusions: Contrary to prior reports of the effect of alcohol on aggressive behavior, moderate daily alcohol intake before and during VBS housing reduced aggression and precluded the formation of a dominance hierarchy in rats.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	83-94
Number of pages	12
Journal	Psychopharmacology
Volume	189
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0536-7
State	Published - Nov 2006
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Aggression
Alcohol
Dominant
Social stress
Subordinate
Sucrose

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pharmacology

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10.1007/s00213-006-0536-7

Cite this

@article{650eafed9ee343f992d0fd027d386e0a,

title = "The impact of moderate daily alcohol consumption on aggression and the formation of dominance hierarchies in rats",

abstract = "Rationale and objective: Group-housed male rats form social hierarchies, and under these conditions, it has been reported that subordinate (SUB) rats consume more alcohol than dominant (DOM) rats. We tested the hypothesis that a history of drinking alcohol would cause SUB rats to consume even greater amounts of alcohol. Methods: Male Long-Evans rats were trained to drink 10% alcohol or a sucrose/quinine solution equal in calories for 1 h/day using a sucrose-fading procedure. Subsequently, rats were housed in colonies (four males, two females) in a visible burrow system (VBS) for 14 days. Individual control male rats were housed in a tub cage with one female. Rats were removed from the VBS (or control environment) daily and given 1 h to drink alcohol or sucrose/quinine. Results: Colonies given daily access to sucrose/quinine formed clear DOM/SUB relationships in all measured parameters. Alcohol-drinking colonies failed to establish a dominance hierarchy and displayed little aggression, with an average of 14.6 ± 6.1 offensive attacks compared with 58.5 ± 12.3 attacks carried out by DOM sucrose/quinine rats. During VBS housing, alcohol and sucrose/quinine intake decreased independent of housing environment or social status. Conclusions: Contrary to prior reports of the effect of alcohol on aggressive behavior, moderate daily alcohol intake before and during VBS housing reduced aggression and precluded the formation of a dominance hierarchy in rats.",

keywords = "Aggression, Alcohol, Dominant, Social stress, Subordinate, Sucrose",

author = "Duncan, {Elizabeth A.} and Tamashiro, {Kellie L.K.} and Nguyen, {Mary M.N.} and Gardner, {Stacy R.} and Woods, {Stephen C.} and Sakai, {Randall R.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Dennis Choi, Dr. Li Yun Ma, and Therese Rider for expert technical assistance. In addition, the authors would like to thank Drs. Ron Jandacek and Patrick Tso for the use of their gas chromatography machine. This research was supported by NIH grant DK 66596, DK 17844, and by NIH training grant T32 DK59803.",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1007/s00213-006-0536-7",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "189",

pages = "83--94",

journal = "Psychopharmacology",

issn = "0033-3158",

publisher = "Springer Verlag",

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T1 - The impact of moderate daily alcohol consumption on aggression and the formation of dominance hierarchies in rats

AU - Duncan, Elizabeth A.

AU - Tamashiro, Kellie L.K.

AU - Nguyen, Mary M.N.

AU - Gardner, Stacy R.

AU - Woods, Stephen C.

AU - Sakai, Randall R.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Dennis Choi, Dr. Li Yun Ma, and Therese Rider for expert technical assistance. In addition, the authors would like to thank Drs. Ron Jandacek and Patrick Tso for the use of their gas chromatography machine. This research was supported by NIH grant DK 66596, DK 17844, and by NIH training grant T32 DK59803.

PY - 2006/11

Y1 - 2006/11

N2 - Rationale and objective: Group-housed male rats form social hierarchies, and under these conditions, it has been reported that subordinate (SUB) rats consume more alcohol than dominant (DOM) rats. We tested the hypothesis that a history of drinking alcohol would cause SUB rats to consume even greater amounts of alcohol. Methods: Male Long-Evans rats were trained to drink 10% alcohol or a sucrose/quinine solution equal in calories for 1 h/day using a sucrose-fading procedure. Subsequently, rats were housed in colonies (four males, two females) in a visible burrow system (VBS) for 14 days. Individual control male rats were housed in a tub cage with one female. Rats were removed from the VBS (or control environment) daily and given 1 h to drink alcohol or sucrose/quinine. Results: Colonies given daily access to sucrose/quinine formed clear DOM/SUB relationships in all measured parameters. Alcohol-drinking colonies failed to establish a dominance hierarchy and displayed little aggression, with an average of 14.6 ± 6.1 offensive attacks compared with 58.5 ± 12.3 attacks carried out by DOM sucrose/quinine rats. During VBS housing, alcohol and sucrose/quinine intake decreased independent of housing environment or social status. Conclusions: Contrary to prior reports of the effect of alcohol on aggressive behavior, moderate daily alcohol intake before and during VBS housing reduced aggression and precluded the formation of a dominance hierarchy in rats.

AB - Rationale and objective: Group-housed male rats form social hierarchies, and under these conditions, it has been reported that subordinate (SUB) rats consume more alcohol than dominant (DOM) rats. We tested the hypothesis that a history of drinking alcohol would cause SUB rats to consume even greater amounts of alcohol. Methods: Male Long-Evans rats were trained to drink 10% alcohol or a sucrose/quinine solution equal in calories for 1 h/day using a sucrose-fading procedure. Subsequently, rats were housed in colonies (four males, two females) in a visible burrow system (VBS) for 14 days. Individual control male rats were housed in a tub cage with one female. Rats were removed from the VBS (or control environment) daily and given 1 h to drink alcohol or sucrose/quinine. Results: Colonies given daily access to sucrose/quinine formed clear DOM/SUB relationships in all measured parameters. Alcohol-drinking colonies failed to establish a dominance hierarchy and displayed little aggression, with an average of 14.6 ± 6.1 offensive attacks compared with 58.5 ± 12.3 attacks carried out by DOM sucrose/quinine rats. During VBS housing, alcohol and sucrose/quinine intake decreased independent of housing environment or social status. Conclusions: Contrary to prior reports of the effect of alcohol on aggressive behavior, moderate daily alcohol intake before and during VBS housing reduced aggression and precluded the formation of a dominance hierarchy in rats.

KW - Aggression

KW - Alcohol

KW - Dominant

KW - Social stress

KW - Subordinate

KW - Sucrose

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SN - 0033-3158

VL - 189

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JO - Psychopharmacology

JF - Psychopharmacology

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ER -

The impact of moderate daily alcohol consumption on aggression and the formation of dominance hierarchies in rats

Abstract

Keywords

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