All animals gained weight during the treatment period. After chronic (4-week) binge alcohol-treatment, rats showed an approximate 4% increase in body weight compared to their baseline weight, versus an 11% increase in their respective control groups (A4 vs. C4: AI4 vs. I4). This difference in post-treatment weight between control and chronic binge alcohol treated animals was significant (p < 0.05). Although not measured in this investigation, previous studies in our laboratory have shown no significant differences in weekly food intake between control and binge alcohol-treated rats (data not shown). A once daily alcohol-treatment protocol was used to avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can occur when high doses of alcohol are administered twice daily (Penland et al., 2001). All alcohol-treated animals were monitored daily throughout the study period and no symptoms of alcohol withdrawal were observed during the 4-day period each week when alcohol was not administered. Rats exhibited a short (approximately 1 to 2 hour) period of acute alcohol intoxication immediately following each ip injection. Peak blood alcohol levels, measured 1 hour after ip alcohol injection in 4 alcohol naïve
