Notably, statistical analysis of the time course of active lever responding after viral infusion found a main effect of time [F(26,572) = 5.7, P < 0.0001] and virus treatment [F(1,22) = 8.36, P < 0.0001], and a significant interaction between treatment and time [F(26,572) = 4.5, P < 0.0001]. Likewise, ethanol intake decreased during a similar time period (Fig. 1e; main effect of time [F(26,572) = 7.34, P < 0.0001], virus treatment [F(1,22) = 12.16, P < 0.05], treatment by time interaction [F(26,572) = 7.34, P < 0.0001]). Baseline ethanol consumed by the Ad-NSS group was 0.54 ± 0.048 g/kg and by the Ad-shα4-1 group was 0.53 ± 0.052 g/kg; ethanol consumed on day 18 after viral infusion was 0.59 ± 0.074 g/kg by the Ad-NSS group and 0.35 ± 0.064 g/kg by the Ad-shα4-1 group, and these values were significantly different (P < 0.02, t-test).
