Determinations were made of ethanol preference and behavioral tolerance in inbred strains of mice. High-and low-preference strains were compared on neural tolerance to ethanol and metabolic capacity. High preference for ethanol was accompanied by higher behavioral and neural tolerance than that found in low-preference mice. Differences in metabolism of ethanol between high-and low-preferring mice were small. However, low-preference animals did not metabolize acetaldehyde as rapidly as high-preference animals. Differences in preference for propylene glycol were in the same direction and as extreme as those for ethanol. Both substances are CNS depressants; but unlike alcohol, propylene glycol is not metabolized to a toxic metabolite that might induce a conditioned aversion. This finding in addition to the difference observed in neural tolerance suggests that neural sensitivity may play a part in the acceptance or rejection of ethanol and propylene glycol.
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