Social success and voluntary ethanol consumption in mice of C57BL/6J and CBA/Lac strains

Abstract

Voluntary ethanol (20% solution) consumption in mice of C57BL/6J (C57) and CBA/Lac (CBA) strains with consecutive experience of victories (winners) or defeats (losers) in daily intermale agonistic confrontations were studied. Winners and losers of the CBA strain maintained the ethanol consumption on the same level. Losers of the C57 strain increased the ethanol consumption most dramatically during the second week of testing, while winners of this strain did not change the ethanol intake. The aspiration to the social contact estimated by behavioral activity as a reaction to the other male significantly increased in "drinking" losers of the C57 strain. The influence of heredity and emotional state of animals formed by their social success on voluntary ethanol consumption are discussed.