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Background: Topiramate, an anticonvulsant, has been reported to increase the number of abstinent days and decrease craving in alcohol‐dependent individuals. However, the neurobiological basis for topiramate's effect is unknown. To assess topiramate's effect on ethanol's rewarding and conditioning rewarding effects, the present experiments examined the effects of topiramate on the acquisition and expression of ethanol‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice.

Methods: A biased apparatus and subject assignment were used. Mice received ethanol (2 g/kg) or saline paired with an initially nonpreferred floor (CS+) and saline paired with an initially preferred floor (CS−) for 5‐minute conditioning trials. During the acquisition experiments, mice received a pretreatment of topiramate (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100 mg/kg) 1 hour before the CS+ trials. On intervening CS− trials, mice …