From Binge Eating to Binge drinking: A new methodological proposal.

Thu, 02/02/2023 - 13:14
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19/01/2023
Del Binge Eating al Binge drinking: Una nueva propuesta metodológica para su estudio

Researchers at CIMCYC have devised a new paradigm for studying alcohol consumption in animal models. Currently, compulsive alcohol consumption (or "binge" drinking) is highly prevalent, although its study in animal models that allow a better understanding of its biological basis is very difficult. This is due to the natural reluctance of rodents to consume alcohol. This research group has developed a new procedure that allows the voluntary induction of the consumption of high amounts of alcohol (blood alcohol levels of over 5g/kg are achieved) in a very short period of time (90 minutes). For this purpose, the animals are exposed just beforehand to a compulsive consumption (ingesting about 11 Kcal in 3 minutes) of a sugar-rich meal. This effect is achieved with different concentrations of alcohol and is interfered with if opioid antagonists such as Naloxone are administered, so it seems to be mediated by the reinforcement pathway. This work opens up the possibility of studying the biological basis of Binge Drinking and to analyze the brain changes that occur during the process of acquisition and establishment of this phenomenon in animal models.

Autors: Leandro Ruiz-Leyva, Ana Vázquez-Ágredos, Ana M. Jiménez-García, Olga López-Guarnido, Antonio Pla, Ricardo Marcos Pautassi, Ignacio Morón Henche, Cruz Miguel Cendán

Full text: https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13153