Animal analog of alcohol dependence.

A review of rodent analogs of alcohol tolerance and dependence is presented. Depending on the control exerted by the experimental subject, analogs presently available are of three general types: involuntary, semivoluntary, and voluntary. With the involuntary analogs, the experimenter has total control of the administration of ethanol; that is, the selected dose is administered at a preselected schedule and rate. The following methods are in this category; inhalation, oral intubation, intragastric or intravenous schedule infusions, and SERT (sustained ethanol release tubes) implants. With the semivoluntary analogs the animals ingest ethanol via either the daily liquid or food supply, at their own pace. With the voluntary analogs, animals self-select ethanol orally, or self-infuse it intravenously or intragastrically. The characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each method are discussed. No method is ideal, and none satisfies all the criteria of an animal analog of "alcoholism." Therefore, the method of choice should be that which is most adequate for the particular aims of a given experiment.