The proposed research will provide an animal model for studying the effects of early ethanol exposure on the reinforcing value of ethanol, on early learning, and on the regulation of suckling behavior. In order to maximize experimental control, a relatively new technique for studying suckling behavior employing an artificial surrogate nipple in the naive newborn rat will be used. The conditioning procedure used in the proposed experiments using the surrogate nipple technique, allows the isolation of the reinforcing value of the many suckling stimuli, which as the nipple or milk (or ethanol in the present case). It also allows for the controlled analysis of the independent role a stimulus plays in the regulation of suckling behavior. Experiment 1 will investigate the effectiveness of experience with paired presentations of intraoral infusions of 5% ethanol (HS) and lemon odor (CS) on the transformation of short oral grasp responses into sustained attachment (regulating suckling behavior). An hour after pairing ethanol infusions with lemon odor, the subject will be tested for responsiveness to an empty surrogate nipple in the presence of lemon odor. If alcohol shares reinforcing properties with milk, then sustained attachment should be observed. Experiments 2 and 3 will investigate the optimal parameters for conditioned sustained attachment to the empty surrogate nipple: Experiments 2 and 3 will investigate the optimal parameters for conditioned sustained attachment to the empty surrogate nipple: Experiment 2 will investigate the minimum number of pairings necessary, and Experiment 3 will examined the optimal concentration of ethanol for successful conditioning. Experiment 4 will investigate the effect of prenatal exposure to low to moderate doses of ethanol on the reinforcing value of both milk and ethanol on their ability to function as a US in eliciting conditioned sustained attachment to the empty surrogate nipple.
