ALCOHOL APPETITE--A NUTRIENT CONDITIONING ANALYSIS

这个项目将从营养调节的角度调查对酒精的胃口。酒精在强化多种行为形式方面的有效药理作用已被广泛研究。人们对酒精作为一种营养物质所知甚少，尤其是对其基于营养的强化作用所知甚少。最近的动物研究表明，营养物质（碳水化合物、脂肪、蛋白质）通过调节风味偏好和接受度，对食物选择和消费产生积极（强化）的积极影响。这些偏好可能非常强烈和持久。动物也学会了喜欢与适量饮酒后的行为相关的味道，尽管在高剂量下可能会产生厌恶而不是偏好。酒精作为强化剂的效力可能会产生，因为它具有营养和药理强化作用。该项目的具体目标是1)评估乙醇在调节风味偏好方面的有效性，使用各种协议；2)评价感官条件刺激（风味）在乙醇条件偏好中的作用；3)比较乙醇与其他营养物质的摄食后强化作用。这项研究涉及心理生物学、药理学、营养学和胃肠生理学等领域。它将推进我们对酒精食欲的心理生物学的基本知识，并可能为控制人类的酒精消费提供实际的好处。

This project will investigate the appetite for alcohol from a nutrient-conditioning perspective. The potent pharmacological actions of alcohol in reinforcing many forms of behavior have been extensively investigated. Less is known about alcohol as a nutrient, particularly about its nutritionally-based reinforcing actions. Recent animal studies demonstrate that nutrients (carbohydrate, fat, protein) have positive (reinforcing) positingestive consequences that influence food choice and consumption by conditioning flavor preferences and acceptance. These preferences can be remarkably strong and persistent. Animals also learn to prefer flavors associated with the postingestive actions of alcohol at moderate doses, although at higher doses aversions rather than preferences may develop. The potency of alcohol as a reinforcer may result because it has both nutritive and pharmacological reinforcing actions. The specific aims of this project are to 1) evaluate the effectiveness of ethanol in conditioning flavor preferences using a variety of protocols; 2) evaluate the orosensory conditioned stimulus (flavor) in ethanol-conditioned preferences; and 3) compare the postingestive reinforcing effects of ethanol with those of other nutrients. This research involves the fields of psychobiology, pharmacology, nutrition and gastrointestinal physiology. It will advance our basic knowledge of the psychobiology of alcohol appetite and may provide practical benefits for controlling alcohol consumption in humans.