Unique effects of caffeinated alcohol consumption in adolescents
Researchers provided adolescent and adult male C57BL/6J mice with daily limited access to caffeine (0.03% w/v), alcohol (ethanol; 20% v/v), a combined alcohol/caffeine solution, or water for 14 days using a binge-like drinking paradigm called Drinking-in-the-Dark (DID). This concentration of caffeine (0.03% w/v) is similar to that found in common energy drinks such as Red Bull©. Home cage locomotor activity was measured during DID in a subset of mice. Following DID, all mice rested for 18 days so that adolescents reached adulthood , whereupon all mice underwent seven days of continuous access two-bottle choice drinking for 10% (v/v) alcohol or water. Results show that co-consumption with caffeine significantly increased alcohol intake and resulting blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) in both adolescent and adult mice. In addition, adolescent mice exhibited a uniquely robust locomotor stimulant response to caffeinated alcohol consumption. Together with human findings, these results...