Acute taurine reduced alcohol intake and preference in alcohol-experienced, but not in alcohol-näive rats by central mechanisms

• Published in: Behavioural brain research 2024-04, Vol.463, p.114892, Article 114892
• Main Authors: Miranda-Páez, Abraham, Marichal-Cancino, Bruno Antonio, Sánchez-Castillo, Hugo, Vázquez-León, Priscila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol use disorder; Anxiety; Defensive burying; Taurine
• ISSN: 0166-4328; 1872-7549; 1872-7549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114892

Taurine is a non-essential β sulfonated amino acid involved in a plethora of biological functions in the mammalian central nervous system. Taurine is easily accessible in energy drinks for human consumption. Previous preclinical and clinical reports suggest that acute systemic administration of taurine could inhibit some of the behavioral and metabolic effects of alcohol use disorder. Overall, both in rodent and human studies, acute taurine administration reduced voluntary alcohol intake. This study aimed to assess the pharmacological effects of taurine (intracerebroventricular; i.c.v.) on ethanol intake/preference of rats either control (i.e., alcohol naïve) or forced ethanol intake (since juvenile age with a chronic intermittent access model). In addition, to explore anxiety-like behavior (through defensive burying behavior test) as pharmacological control of taurine. We found that acute (i.c.v.) taurine reduced alcohol consumption, i.e., taurine significantly decreased both alcohol intake and preference in adult male Wistar rats. Moreover, taurine elicits an anxiolytic-like effect in all administered groups independently of previous alcohol exposure. [Display omitted] •Taurine reduces alcohol intake by central mechanisms in alcohol-experienced rats.•Reduced ethanol consumption by taurine is significant in alcohol-experienced rats.•Central taurine produced anxiolytic effect measured by defensive burying behavior.