Alcoholism is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by cycles of repeated high alcohol intake and negative emotional consequences of withdrawal that contribute to excessive drinking and susceptibility to relapse (Breese et al., 2005; Heilig and Egli, 2006; Koob, 2003). Investigating how chronic alcohol affects the nervous system in rodent models can help elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to the pathology of alcoholism in humans (Heilig and Egli, 2006). Similar to human alcoholics, alcohol-dependent animals exhibit emotional distress and uncontrolled excessive alcohol consumption following periods of withdrawal (File et al., 1989; Koob, 2003; Overstreet et al., 2002; Roberts et al., 2000; Valdez et al., 2002). Thus, rodent models of alcohol dependence are ideal tools for investigating the neurobiological changes associated with chronic alcohol use and dependence.
