The vast majority of experiments assessing the efficacy of compounds targeting alcohol abuse and dependence have done so by testing their ability to reduce home-cage ethanol drinking. A comprehensive review of ligands tested, experimental procedures used and brain regions targeted in high alcohol-consuming rats, for reducing ethanol intake and/or self-administration, is presented in Table 4. A number of reasons support this method of testing compounds not the least of which is simplicity along with lower equipment costs and face validity. Most individuals consume ethanol, including to excess, either in their own home or a similar social venue. Therefore, ethanol consumption by a rat in their home-cage parallels the human condition in many regards. Also, home-cage testing allows the assessment of a compound’s effects on water and food intake in the same environment, if these are available ad libitum. Three primary conditions, within the addictive process, can be evaluated in the home-cage environment. These are (a) the acquisition of ethanol intake, (b) the maintenance of ethanol intake, and (c) relapse-like drinking of ethanol. In turn, each of these three primary conditions
