Effects of Acute Ketamine on Operant Ethanol Self-Administration Over Time

In this document I propose a set of experiments to determine if the long-term effects of ketamine exposure alter operant ethanol self-administration and ethanol consumption in ethanol dependent rats. Animals will be trained to self-administer ethanol, made dependent with ethanol vapor exposure, and treated with ketamine or related compounds. After drug treatment, measures of ethanol consumption will be examined for one week, in order to determine if the pre-established long-lasting effects of the drug ketamine will alter drinking behavior. In initial experiments, animals will be administered ketamine systemically, to determine its long-term effects and viability as a treatment for alcohol use disorders. In a second experiment, animals will be treated with ketamine and compounds that antagonize some of its pharmacological actions, to uncover the potential mechanism of these effects. Additionally, ketamine will be microinjected into reward and motivated behavior associated regions of the brain, in order to determine which areas of the brain that ketamine may be acting on to alter drinking. It is my belief that these experiments could provide solid preclinical evidence for ketamines potential as a treatment for alcoholism, as well as expanding our understanding of a commonly used drugs pharmacological effects on the brain.