Figure 1
Paradoxical effect of DBS on alcohol relapse-like drinking (ADE). (a) Total ethanol intake (g kg−1 per day) before and after an alcohol-deprivation period of 3 weeks in alcohol-dependent rats in the sham-stimulated control group (n=15) and in the bilateral nucleus accumbens shell (NAcs) deep-brain stimulation (DBS) group (n=10). The last week measurement of ethanol intake is given as baseline drinking—'B'. Chronic-continuous bilateral NAcs stimulation (Cont. NAc DBS) started 3 days before the end of the abstinence phase and continued for four post-abstinence days (horizontal bar). (b) First day of ADE in alcohol-non-dependent sham-stimulated (n=9) and in 24-h bilateral NAc DBS (n=6) rats. (c) First day of ADE in alcohol-dependent sham-stimulated (n=8) and in 24-h bilateral NAc DBS (n=6) rats. Twenty-four-hour bilateral NAcs stimulation (24-h NAc DBS) started 1 h before the end of abstinence phase and continued for 24 post-abstinence hours. * indicates significant difference from the control sham group. Data are presented as means ±s.e.m., P<0.05.
