The GABAB receptor allosteric modulator CGP7930, like baclofen, reduces operant self-administration of ethanol in alcohol-preferring rats

Abstract

GABA systems have been implicated as targets for ethanol at the cellular, molecular and behavioural level. The present study was designed to further examine the potential of the GABAB receptor as a target for regulating operant alcohol responding. Given that the prototypic agonist, baclofen, reduces the self-administration of alcohol, we hypothesized that the GABAB receptor allosteric modulator, CGP7930, might have similar actions but a reduced side-effect profile. In this context, inbred alcohol-preferring (iP) rats were trained to respond for 10% v/v ethanol in a fixed ratio paradigm; all drug testing was performed under an FR3 schedule. Both baclofen and CGP7930 independently reduced volu..