Interestingly, when using a binge model of adolescent ethanol exposure and assessing subsequent sweetened ethanol intake under limited access conditions in young adulthood in male and female rats, we have observed dramatic increases in voluntary ethanol intake in rats that were treated with high doses of ethanol during adolescence relative to those that were treated with water during adolescence (Maldonado et al., 2009). Male and female rats were exposed to ethanol (1.5, 3.0 or 5.0 g/kg/intragastric intubation) or water across adolescence in four-day intervals (PND 28–31, PND 35–38, and PND 43–45) with three days between each administration in which animals were left undisturbed (PND 32–34 and PND 39–41). Immediately following ethanol pretreatment during adolescence, all rats underwent fourteen days of abstinence in which animals were left undisturbed (PND 46–59). Finally, voluntary sweetened ethanol (0.5% saccharin/ 10% ethanol) intake was assessed in young adulthood (PND 60–69). According to preliminary data, when ethanol intake was equated for body weight, females consumed significantly more ethanol than males regardless of pretreatment with ethanol or water. Pretreatment with any dose of ethanol enhanced this effect.
