The effects of alcohol preexposure on alcohol and cocaine-induced taste aversion

Although the potentiating effects of alcohol and cocaine have been well documented, very little has been reported regarding the effects of alcohol or cocaine history on this interaction (Pens, Sealey, Jung & Gridley, 1997). The present study attempted such an investigation. Specifically, rats were given five exposures to alcohol prior to taste aversion conditioning during which subjects were allowed access to a novel saccharin solution to drink and then given an intraperitoneal injection of alcohol and a subcutaneous injection of cocaine for a total of eight conditioning trials. Saccharin consumption of preexposed, conditioned subjects (i.e., Group A/A+C) was compared with that of non preexposed, conditioned subjects (Group W/A+C) and of subjects in two control groups that were injected with distilled water during conditioning (Groups W/W and A/W). Under these conditions, preexposure to alcohol attenuated subsequent aversions induced by the cocaine and alcohol combination. These findings may have implications for the combined use and abuse of alcohol and cocaine in subjects with an alcohol history.