Arabella Franco
Mice do drink beer, and researchers have been taking advantage of this fact to study alcoholism and genetics in humans. Rats also drink beer, and studies have shown that they will consume it at levels that affect their anxiety and motor coordination, and that they will eventually show signs of withdrawal. In one study, mice were injected with alcohol to mimic a binge-drinking session, and researchers found that the mice ate significantly more than sober mice. This behaviour is thought to be caused by alcohol activating brain cells that control hunger.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beer consumption in mice | Rats avidly consume standard off-the-shelf beer |
| Beer consumption in mice vs. ethanol solutions | Rats consumed greater amounts of beer than equivalent dilute ethanol solutions in water |
| Beer consumption in mice vs. nonalcoholic beverages | Intake of low-strength beer approached intake of isocaloric sucrose solution |
| Beer consumption in mice vs. cocaine | Rats consumed more beer than cocaine |
| Beer consumption in mice vs. food deprivation | Food deprivation increased the motivation to consume beer |
| Beer consumption in mice vs. cocaine and food deprivation | Cocaine and food deprivation have opposite effects on the motivation to consume beer |
| Beer as a mouse trap | Beer can be used to trap mice |
| Beer consumption in mice and hunger | Alcohol activates brain cells linked to hunger, causing mice to eat more |
What You'll Learn
Mice can be used to study why some humans are more susceptible to alcoholism
In the experiment, two lab mice were injected with a syringe of ethanol-saline solution — the equivalent of giving a human who has never had alcohol before 15 drinks all at once. The mice started to look intoxicated a minute into the experiment. At 13 minutes, the very sensitive mouse couldn't right itself after the lab technician placed it on its back. Meanwhile, the other mouse could right itself with ease.
The researchers then examined how the neurons in the mouse brain were changed by the alcohol, which is a toxin. They found that the RNA and proteins in cells are constantly changing, reacting to their environment to find equilibrium. As a brain learns something new, proteins are formed to help develop and consolidate memories or adjust to change. When a mouse consumes alcohol, proteins respond.
Another study, conducted at the Salk Institute, found a brain circuit that controls alcohol drinking behavior in mice, and can be used as a biomarker for predicting the development of compulsive drinking later on. The researchers created a test called a binge-induced compulsion task (BICT) to examine how susceptibility toward alcohol consumption interacts with experience to produce compulsive drinking in mice. The BICT allowed the researchers to examine alcohol consumption as well as consumption with negative consequences, such as a bitter taste added to the alcohol. Through a series of tests, the scientists observed that the mice could be sorted into three groups: low drinkers, high drinkers, and compulsive drinkers. Unlike the first two groups, the compulsive drinkers showed insensitivity to negative consequences.
The researchers then used an imaging technique called microendoscopic single-cell resolution calcium imaging to chart the cells and brain regions of interest prior to drinking, during drinking, and after drinking alcohol. They found that the development of compulsive alcohol drinking was related to neural communication patterns between the two brain regions, and was a biomarker for predicting future compulsive drinking.
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Beer can be used to trap mice
This method works because mice are attracted to beer. A study published in Nature Communications in 2017 found that alcohol consumption makes mice hungry. The same study also revealed that mice will consume beer, and they are not the only rodents to do so. Rats also drink beer, with one study showing that they will consume it at levels that produce clear effects on anxiety and motor coordination.
The attraction that mice have for beer can be explained by the fact that alcohol activates brain cells linked to hunger. Researchers from The Francis Crick Institute Mill Hill Laboratory in London conducted a study where they got mice drunk and then recorded the electrical activity in brain cells linked to hunger. They found that alcohol exposure alters calcium exchange in the cells, which causes these cells to fire more frequently and easily, leading to increased hunger.
So, if you are looking for a way to trap mice, using beer is a good option. Just remember to provide a ramp so that the mice can reach the beer, and they will happily jump into the bucket for a beer fest!
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Rats will consume beer at levels that affect anxiety and motor coordination
Rats will consume beer at levels that affect their anxiety and motor coordination. A study by Jason E Gallate et al. examined the acute anxiolytic and ataxic effects of beer consumption in rats, as well as the anxiogenic effects of withdrawal from free access to beer.
In the study, male Wistar rats were given access to "near-beer" (a malt beverage resembling beer but containing <0.5% ethanol) for 30 minutes each day. On the test day, ethanol was added to the near-beer to make it resemble standard beer (2.5% or 4.5% beer). The rats were then tested on their response to a predatory cue and on an accelerating rotarod.
The results showed that rats drinking 4.5% beer approached a predatory cue more often than those given near-beer, indicating an anxiolytic effect. Rats drinking 4.5% beer also displayed less anxiety-like behaviour in certain tests. Additionally, rats given 4.5% beer fell off the rotarod faster than those given near-beer, indicating an ataxic effect on motor coordination.
The study concluded that rats will consume beer at levels that produce clear effects on anxiety and motor coordination, and that behavioural signs of withdrawal will eventually occur. These findings provide valuable insights into the consequences of beer consumption in rodents and suggest that further research in this area is warranted.
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Beer consumption in rats can be influenced by food deprivation
Rats will consume beer, especially if it has a moderate alcohol content. However, food deprivation can influence their beer consumption.
In a series of experiments, male Wistar rats were given access to either beer or ethanol solutions. The rats consumed greater amounts of moderate strength beer (2.7% ethanol by volume) or regular strength beer (5.0% ethanol) than equivalent dilute ethanol solutions in water. In a subsequent experiment, individual rats consumed more 2.7% beer than 3.85% beer and more 3.85% beer than 5.0% beer.
In a third experiment, a lick-based progressive ratio paradigm was implemented, where rats had to emit a progressively greater number of licks for a fixed volume of beer or sucrose. This experiment showed that food deprivation increased the motivation to consume beer and sucrose, as indicated by elevated breakpoints (the highest ratio reached). Food deprivation also increased locomotor activity in the drinking environment.
These findings suggest that while rats will consume beer, their motivation to do so may be influenced by food deprivation, which increases their willingness to work for a reward. Thus, when deprived of food, rats may be more driven to consume beer or other palatable solutions.
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Alcohol activates brain cells linked to hunger in mice
Mice have been used in studies to understand why some humans are more susceptible to alcoholism later in life. In one such study, researchers from the Francis Crick Institute Mill Hill Laboratory in London got mice drunk and then recorded the electrical activity in brain cells linked to hunger. They found that alcohol activated brain cells that control hunger, sending drunk mice to eat more snacks even when they were not hungry.
The research uncovered a neural mechanism that could explain why the animals ate significantly more after binge-drinking sessions even though their bodies did not need the calories. Although hunger pangs in our stomach usually alert us that it is time to eat, the impulse to consume food originates in our brains, and brain cells located in the hypothalamus called agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons play a key role in controlling hunger. A previous study showed that when AgRP neurons are activated, mice almost immediately seek out food and start eating, even if their stomachs are full. By contrast, when AgRP neurons are deactivated, hungry mice will not eat. AgRP neurons play a similar role in human hunger.
To investigate whether AgRP neurons are responsible for this behavior, the researchers sliced mouse brains into thin sections and tagged the AgRP neurons so that calcium in the cells would glow green under a microscope—a proxy for cell activity. They found that more alcohol caused calcium levels to increase. The researchers then exposed the neurons to different concentrations of alcohol and used probes to record the cells’ electrical activity. They found that alcohol exposure alters calcium exchange in the cells, which causes AgRP neurons to fire more frequently and easily. Activity in AgRP neurons returned to normal after the alcohol was flushed away, indicating the cells were not permanently altered.
Together, these results suggest that alcohol directly activates AgRP neurons in the brain, which is what keeps mice eating even when they do not need to. This research could help develop better medications and treatments for alcoholism.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, mice do drink beer. In fact, they seem to like it.
Mice have been given beer in laboratory settings to study alcoholism and genetics in humans. Scientists are trying to understand why some people are more susceptible to alcoholism later in life.
Mice react differently to beer. Some mice become wobbly on their legs and move slower than normal. Others become more adventurous and less anxious.
