Drug-induced reductions in ethanol intake in alcohol preferring and Fawn-Hooded rats.

The ethanol intake of Fawn-Hooded rats, a serotonin deficient strain, was examined under a two bottle choice between ethanol (10%) and tap water. The Fawn-Hooded rats drank as much ethanol as the alcohol preferring strain of rats (approximately 6 times that of the control Wistar rats), but drank more fluid and ate more. In general, direct and indirect serotonin agonists, reduced ethanol intake to a smaller degree in the Fawn-Hooded rats compared to the P rats. In contrast the centrally acting antimuscarinic scopolamine reduced ethanol intake to a similar degree in the two strains.