Breeding Alcoholic Mice
A lot of research concerning alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse uses animal models. With respect to alcoholism, however, these animal models show one big difference with ‘real’ alcoholics: when given the choice, the animals (often mice) still prefer non-alcoholic drinks, such as water. So, unless alcohol is the only choice, or is administered by the experimenters, they are not really alcoholics.Until now. A new study, published in Addiction Biology, reports the selective breeding of genuine mice alcoholics. Selectively bred for 40 generations by researchers from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, the mice lines are known as High Alcohol Preferring (or HAP) mice. The animals were specifically bred for their intake of 10% ethanol. read more
