A conflict procedure not requiring deprivation: evidence that chronic ethanol treatment induces tolerance to the anticonflict action of ethanol and chlordiazepoxide.

A conflict task that does not require food or water deprivation is described. Drugs with known anticonflict action including chlordiazepoxide, methysergide, ethanol, and TRH were active in this test while amphetamine, buspirone, and morphine were not. Because this procedure did not require food or water deprivation, the effect of chronic ethanol administered in a liquid diet on the anticonflict actions of ethanol and chlordiazepoxide could be examined. Seven or 12 days of chronic ethanol treatment resulted in tolerance to the acute anticonflict action of ethanol whereas 3 days of treatment did not. Tolerance was not observed to a dose of ethanol administered 3 hr after a previous ethanol treatment. Following a chronic ethanol liquid diet, cross-tolerance to the anticonflict action of chloridazepoxide was observed. This latter observation is consistent with the view that ethanol influences a neural mechanism associated with benzodiazepine function. The importance of tolerance to the anticonflict action of ethanol is discussed.