Biology Department, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas.
School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2019 Jan;43(1):26-35. doi: 10.1111/acer.13908. Epub 2018 Nov 11.
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are significant global issues. Honey bees are excellent models for learning and other complex behaviors; furthermore, they share many behavioral responses to ethanol (EtOH) with humans and animal models. We develop a 2-feeder choice assay to determine whether honey bees will self-administer and preferentially consume solutions containing EtOH.
Gustatory responsiveness to EtOH is determined using the proboscis extension reflex and consumption assays. A 2-feeder choice assay is used to examine preference for the consumption of EtOH. Survival assays assess the metabolic and toxic effects of EtOH consumption.
Honey bees find the taste of EtOH to be aversive when in water, but addition of sucrose masks the aversive taste. Even though the taste of EtOH is not appetitive, honey bees preferentially consume sucrose solutions containing 1.25 to 2.5% EtOH in a dose-dependent manner. Based on survival assays, honey bees may not be able to derive caloric value from EtOH, and EtOH concentrations of 2.5% or higher lead to significant increases in mortality.
Honey bees will self-administer EtOH and show a preference for consuming solutions containing EtOH. Bees may not be able to efficiently utilize EtOH as an energy source, but EtOH-dependent increases in mortality complicate separating the effects of caloric value and toxicity.
酗酒和酒精中毒是全球性的重大问题。蜜蜂是学习和其他复杂行为的优秀模型；此外，它们与人类和动物模型有许多对乙醇（EtOH）的行为反应。我们开发了一种双料选择测定法，以确定蜜蜂是否会自行摄入并优先选择含有 EtOH 的溶液。
使用触角延伸反射和消耗测定法来确定对 EtOH 的味觉反应。双料选择测定法用于检查对 EtOH 消耗的偏好。生存测定法评估 EtOH 消耗的代谢和毒性作用。
当 EtOH 存在于水中时，蜜蜂发现 EtOH 的味道令人厌恶，但添加蔗糖可掩盖厌恶的味道。尽管 EtOH 的味道不是开胃的，但蜜蜂会优先选择以剂量依赖性方式消耗含有 1.25%至 2.5% EtOH 的蔗糖溶液。根据生存测定法，蜜蜂可能无法从 EtOH 中获得热量值，并且 EtOH 浓度为 2.5%或更高会导致死亡率显着增加。
蜜蜂会自行摄入 EtOH，并表现出对消耗含 EtOH 溶液的偏好。蜜蜂可能无法有效地将 EtOH 用作能量来源，但是依赖 EtOH 的死亡率增加使区分热量值和毒性的影响变得复杂。
