Alcohol intake in social housing and in isolation before puberty and its effects on voluntary alcohol consumption in adulthood

We assessed the effects of alcohol exposure ill social and isolation housing before puberty oil the alcohol consumption later ill adulthood. From 25 to 35 days of age, Wistar male rats were exposed to either (a) continuous isolation; (b) continuous social housing; (c) continuous isolation, but placed ill social housing during 12 hr ever 7 other day; or (d) continuous social housing, bill placed ill isolation during 12 hr every other day (SOIS group). All males were exposed to 8% ethanol as the old-v available liquid 12 hr/day even, other day ill this prepubescent period and to continuous free-choice access to 8% ethanol or water ill both social and isolation housing when adulthood was reached. Alcohol consumption before puberty. was higher ill the group permanently housed ill isolatiom Both voluntary alcohol intake and preference for alcohol ill adulthood also were higher during the isolation than ill the social condition ill all groups, except ill the SOIS group. Alcohol consumption was higher ill the SOIS group than ill the other groups only during social condition ill adulthood. Food intake decreased during the social interaction of the groups that changed their condition from isolated to social or from social to isolated. Results support that (a) isolation facilitates alcohol consumption, and (b) rearing characteristics associated to alcohol intake at all early age call play all important role ill later alcohol intake. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodials, Inc.