PSY-B499 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Introduction: During the fall semester of my senior year of college, I conducted independent research under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Boehm in the Boehm lab at IUI. I sought to explore caffeine's effects on the reinforcing value of alcohol in C57BL/6 mice. I did this by designing a self-administration experiment using my pilot finding of the previous year (HON-H398). This artifact demonstrates my growth and improvement as an independent researcher. Additionally, this artifact represents my growth, progression, and dedication to becoming a scientist and pursuing a PhD after my undergraduate career.

Exploring Caffeine's Effect on the Reinforcing Value of Alcohol Consumption in C57BL/6 Mice

By: Austin Kitch

Rationale

Caffeine is commonly used as a mixer in alcoholic beverages in a variety of populations.
Analyzing caffeine’s effect on the reinforcing value of alcohol may provide key insights capable of contributing to the understanding of caffeinated alcohol consumption and eventually its long-term effects.

Methods and Procedure

10 female and 10 male C57BL/6 mice
Groups
- Treatment (Alcohol/Caffeinated-Alcohol)= 2 groups, n=10S
10% EtOH (See below for fade and caffeine ratios)

Procedure

Animals participate in 45-minute operant sessions
Correct lever is fixed but is rotated every other animal to control for side preference
Correct press of the lever gives the animal 10 seconds of sipper access to the reward (10 ml tube), besides day 1, which is 15 seconds access
The que light placed above the correct lever turns on when the correct lever is pressed

Paradigm (Self-Administration Lever Press Chart)

Saccharin Fade Ratios (Found Effective in Pilot Study)

Hypothesis:

Caffeine will enhance the reinforcing value of alcohol in a self-administration setting in C57BL/6 mice
Animals in the caffeinated-alcohol group will have a significantly higher intake than animals in the alcohol-only group

Visuals and Findings

Directionality: Cohort 2 for replication and statistical power

Reflection: This research experience helped me grow as a prospective scientist and establish confidence in my abilities to conduct research independently. Reflecting on the strenuous process of this project, such as the literature review, procedure construction, experimental design, and running the actual experiment, I have grown tremendously as a future scientist. The Boehm Lab has been a phenomenal resource in molding my career interests and skillsets throughout my undergraduate journey, and that was no different during this project under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Boehm. This experience is ongoing and I look forward to the additional knowledge and skills I can gather to carry into my graduate school and career journeys.

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