Background-Tolerance to the behavioral and subjective effects of alcohol (ethanol) is thought to be a major predictive factor for the development of alcoholism. Evidence from rodent models has supported this view with those animals most likely to develop tolerance generally drinking and preferring ethanol more so than those resistant to it. Despite this evidence, very little is known about the behavioral relationships between ethanol-induced tolerance and consumption. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the development of tolerance to the ataxic effects of ethanol using a mouse model of binge-like intake dubbed 'Drinking in the Dark' (DID; Rhodes et al., 2005). We hypothesized that mice would become tolerant to the ataxic effects of ethanol as this behavior is known to be altered at the blood ethanol concentrations reached using this model (≥ 80 mg/dl).