New Strain of Lab Mice Mimics Human Alcohol Consumption Patterns

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124555.htm





A researcher at the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (gigantic college name) has developed a line of "binge-drinking" mice.  These test rodents are meant to undergo experiments that will help shed some light on the correlation between alcoholism and genetic predisposition to drinking.  The new line of mice come from a series of selected breeding over more than 40 generations.  The mice show a tendency to choose alcohol over water when presented with both, and also tend to consume it in large quantities in a short time.  The scientists involved have let them surpass what most alcoholics would describe as intoxication during their studies.  6-7 hours of nearly continual alcohol-consumption is fairly standard for each test phase.  The drunkenness of the mice is then analyzed using a highly sophisticated instrument known as... a balance beam.