Binge drinking accelerates alcohol use disorder, but stable daily drinking may be just as risky in the long-term

Binge drinking may increase people’s risk of developing alcohol use disorders (AUDs), especially adolescents and young adults, research shows. It is unclear whether different drinking patterns – for example, intermittent versus regular drinking – have a different impact on the compulsive drinking that characterizes people with AUDs. This study used rats to examine whether chronic intermittent alcohol access facilitates a transition to compulsive-like drinking.