Radiation-Induced Aversion to Alcohol

Abstract

Mice genetically susceptible to alcohol orientation were allowed to develop a preference for 10 percent ethanol over tap water. A low dose (12 roentgens per hour for 4 hours) of whole-body gamma radiation was used as an unconditional stimulus to produce alcohol-avoidance behavior. A marked aversion to the alcohol solution occurred but was extinguished within 6 days, owing probably to the very high motivation of the animals to drink alcohol. The study extends the technique of radiation-produced avoidance conditioning to include alcohol consumption as a measure of response in genetically susceptible mice.