Because different tests of alcohol consumption may have distinct genetic determinants (Blednov and Harris, 2008), we selected three tests for behavioral validation of the selected genes: 24 hour two-bottle choice (2 BC), limited access to one bottle (1B-Drinking in the Dark, DID) and limited access to two bottles (2B-DID). Preference for non-alcohol tastants was also evaluated. We found that all the null mutations reduced alcohol drinking, and the amount of the decrease was dependent on the the null mutant and, the specific drinking test and sex. These results suggest a key role for neuroimmune signaling in the regulation of alcohol consumption.
