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Neuropharmacology of Ethanol pp 251–264Cite as

Birkhäuser

Alcohol Reinforcement: Biobehavioral and Clinical Considerations

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Abstract

When compared with stimulants, opioids, and barbiturates (Schuster and Thompson, 1969; Schuster and Villareal, 1968; Winger et al., 1983; Yanagita et al., 1969) in intravenous self-administration paradigms in monkeys and rats, ethanol is a relatively weak reinforcer. The delay in reinforcement associated with oral self-administration of ethanol further inhibits its reinforcing efficacy. A relatively prolonged period of exposure to frequent high doses of ethanol is necessary for the development of alcohol dependence in humans. In contrast, in vulnerable individuals, intravenous opiate self-administration, and intravenously self-administered or smoked cocaine are associated with the rapid development of dependence. The risk of developing alcohol dependence is strongly influenced by factors in the individual (e.g., genetics, temperament, psychopathology) and the environment (e.g., culture).

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Authors
  1. Roger E. Meyer
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  2. Zelig Dolinsky
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA

    Roger E. Meyer M.D.

  2. Department of Psychology, Howard University and O.S.A., N.I.A.A.A., Rockville, MD, 20857, USA

    Michael J. Lewis Ph.D.

  3. Research Institute of the Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    George F. Koob Ph.D.

  4. N.I.H., N.I.M.H., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Steven M. Paul M.D.

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© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Meyer, R.E., Dolinsky, Z. (1991). Alcohol Reinforcement: Biobehavioral and Clinical Considerations. In: Meyer, R.E., Lewis, M.J., Koob, G.F., Paul, S.M. (eds) Neuropharmacology of Ethanol. Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1305-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1305-3_12

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-1307-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-1305-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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