Deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens reduces alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats.

Object: The authors tested the hypothesis that deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) decreases alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring (P) rats after each animal has established a stable, large alcohol intake and after P rats with an established intake have been deprived of alcohol for 4-6 weeks.

Methods: Bipolar stimulating electrodes were bilaterally placed in the NAcc using stereotactic coordinates. In the first study, P rats (9 animals) were allowed to establish a stable pattern of alcohol intake (about 5-7 g/day) over approximately 2 weeks, and the acute effects of DBS in the NAcc (140-150 Hz, 60-microsec pulse width, and 200-microA current intensity) on alcohol intake and alcohol preference were studied.