Factor analyses of alcohol and water consumption in laboratory mice.

Tested 99 mice from 9 different genotypes for 10 consecutive days in a 2-choice situation with drinking tubes containing water and dilute ethanol. Separate recordings of alcohol and water consumption were taken according to the light cycle, at 9:30 AM and 9:30 PM on each day. The 20 measures of alcohol and water consumption were factor analyzed separately by alpha analysis with varimax rotation. 2 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 were obtained for alcohol and 3 for water consumption. Factors differed strikingly depending on the fluid involved. Water-consumption factors reflected the nocturnal-diurnal activity cycle. Alcohol-consumption factors were related to changes over days but not to the activity cycle. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)