Determining the mechanisms which regulate ethanol drinking in the brain will provide greater insight into the various factors which can lead to abuse. If we are to develop better methods of treating alcohol abuse and alcoholism, this knowledge seems essential. How ethanol functions as a reinforcer is still unclear, but recent studies would indicate that it may function through mechanisms not unsimiliar to other well known reinforcing drugs. To better understand how ethanol functions as a reinforcer, the application of the state-of-the-art neuroscience techniques is required. The techniques of brain dialysis and voltammetry are rapidly gaining acceptance as the primary procedures to be used to monitor the release of various neurotransmitters in behaving animals. this proposal requests funds for the Principal Investigator to learn these techniques and then apply them in an animal model of ethanol self-administration. Only by having the opportunity to spend time with the Hosts, who are experts n the techniques, can the Principal Investigator gain the knowledge necessary to apply them appropriately.
