Effects of different diets on voluntary consumption of ethanol in UChA and UChB rats.

Based on the decrease of voluntary consumption of ethanol observed in rats of UChA (low ethanol consumer) and UChB (high ethanol consumer) strains, coincident to the use of a new issue of a commercial diet, the effects of two new diets devoid of animal food were studied. One of these diets (Diet 3) induced an increase of the voluntary consumption of ethanol in a proportion of UChA rats, in such a way that its frequency distribution curve resulted in a bimodal one because of the presence of individuals which drank as much alcohol as UChB rats. This diet is a useful tool for the study of eventual nutrimental factors which decrease ethanol intake.