SDPS‐prone animals exhibited escalated alcohol seeking during time‐out periods, after doubling the time interval before a subsequent alcohol reward was available. Our data point to an inability of SDPS‐prone rats to withhold active responding, which led to premature behavioral responses, a hallmark of reduced inhibitory control. Increased premature39 and anticipatory40 responding are linked to alcohol abuse and dependence, while behavioral loss of control and cognitive impulsivity are associated with depression severity.41, 42 Our previous observations that guanfacine, a cognitive enhancer43 used against attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ameliorates the effects of SDPS on alcohol20 further support dysregulated impulse control after SPDS. Together, it is possible that in the depression‐prone population, behavioral disinhibition promoted compulsive‐like alcohol seeking. Future studies should address this possibility by subjecting SDPS‐prone animals to putative measures of impulsive choice and action, such as the delayed reward discounting task. Likewise, it would be of interest to examine whether this phenotype is drug specific or whether it is extended to nondrug natural rewards such as sucrose or food.
