Increase in ethanol consumption in rats due to caloric deficit.

Naive food-restricted and food-satiated rats were given a choice between ethanol (8%, 16%, or 32%) and water for 22 hours/day over 14 days. On all days and at all concentrations, intakes of ethanol were significantly higher in the food-restricted animals. Doses consumed by these animals were highest when 32% ethanol was used, with a mean daily intake of 6.83 g/kg. Preference scores, calculated as the percent of total fluid intake as ethanol, were also much higher in the food-restricted animals. These findings demonstrate that the caloric value of ethanol may be an important factor in ethanol self-administration, but they do not rule out the possible importance of pharmacological effects.