Studies of the role of motivational processes in drug abuse have yet to address the relationship between the motivational processes that control alcohol-seeking behavior and those that control the pursuit of natural rewards, such as food or fluids. Although little direct evidence exists to conclude that the motivational processes that control instrumental rewards control alcohol-seeking behavior, there is evidence that incentive processes may play a role in alcohol consumption and in alcohol- related activities. The present plan of investigation has two objectives: (i) to investigate the control of alcohol-seeking activities by the animal's evaluation of the incentive properties of alcohol reward; and (ii) to investigate the effects of Pavlovian cues for ethanol on actions acquired for natural rewards and for ethanol. First, two pilot studies will be conducted in order to establish an effective, reliable method for the induction of alcohol consumption and for producing alcohol dependence in rats. To assess the role of the incentive value of ethanol in the control of instrumental actions, the effect of priming on ethanol-seeking behavior in both dependent and non- dependent rats will be investigated in a series of experiments. The next experimental series will employ Pavlovian-instrumental transfer designs in order to examine the impact of alcohol- associated Pavlovian cues on (i) actions reinforced with natural rewards, to assess the general motivating influence of these cues, and (ii) selective effects in choice tasks, to assess the alcohol-specific arousal associated with these cues. The findings of these studies are expected to elucidate the nature of bidirectional influences of primary motivational processes on alcohol-seeking behavior, and may provide a model for understanding relapse in alcohol abuse.
