Ethanol self-administration in deprived rats: effects of Ro15-4513 alone, and in combination with flumazenil (Ro15-1788).

Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated that Ro15-4513, a partial inverse benzodiazepine agonist, decreases self-administration of ethanol (ETOH) in rats maintained on a two-bottle regmine of a saccharin ethanol solution (ES) and water over a 35-day consumption period. The present study extended the consumption period to 60 days and examined the effects of Ro15-4513 (2.5 mg/kg), flumazenil (Ro15-1788) (8.0 mg/kg), and Ro15-4513 in combination with Ro15-1788 on the time course of ETOH self-administration. High initial intake of ES observed during the first 4 weeks declined significantly over subsequent weeks. Ro15-4513 pretreatment, however, resulted in significant reduction of ES, while significantly preventing the "normal" reduction of consumption as was observed under control conditions. The antagonistic actions of Ro15-4513 were blocked/attenuated by the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, Ro15-1788, independent of whether consumption of the ES was low or high. Both Ro15-4513 and Ro15-1788 affected water intake differentially compared with vehicle-injected controls. The results suggest that GABA-benzodiazepine mechanisms may be important in altering chronic ETOH drinking patterns depending upon experience with ETOH, tolerance, or learning.