Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on May 9, 2006
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2006 41(4):391-398; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl037
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EFFECTS OF ARIPIPRAZOLE ON ALCOHOL INTAKE IN AN ANIMAL MODEL OF HIGH-ALCOHOL DRINKING
1 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland, 2 Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland and 3 The Institute of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Kimmo Ingman, MD, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 B, 3rd floor, FI-20520 Turku, Finland. Tel: +358-2-333-7513, Fax: +358-2-333-7216, E-mail: kiming{at}utu.fi
(Received 7 November 2005; first review notified 3 January 2006; in revised form 6 February 2006; accepted 31 March 2006)
Aims: This study examined the effects of aripiprazole, a novel atypical antipsychotic drug with partial agonist properties at dopamine D2 receptors, on the voluntary limited access alcohol drinking of alcohol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) rats. Methods: AA rats were taught to drink 10% alcohol in a 4 h limited access paradigm. Effects of acute aripiprazole (0, 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) on the limited access alcohol drinking were studied. In repeated treatment experiment, aripiprazole (0, 1.0, and 6.0 mg/kg) was administered once daily over five successive days. To reveal any effect by aripiprazole not selective for alcohol drinking, 0.025% saccharin solution was substituted for alcohol during the 4 h limited access, and acute treatments were repeated. The effects of aripiprazole on ambulatory locomotor activity were tested with doses that were used in the acute experiments. Results: Acute aripiprazole at the doses of 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg had no effect on alcohol drinking. Repeated treatment with the aripiprazole dose of 6.0 mg/kg significantly diminished alcohol drinking at the 1 h time point. This dose had no effect on saccharin drinking when given acutely. Acute aripiprazole at the doses of 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0 mg/kg significantly suppressed locomotor activity. Conclusions: Aripiprazole decreased limited access alcohol drinking in AA rats, but only at a high dose that also strongly suppressed locomotor activity.