Conditioned gustatory avoidance induced by three cholinergic agents

Kenzie L. Preston, Charles R. Schuster

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Conditioned gustatory avoidance of sweetened condensed milk was induced in rats by drugs which differentially affect the cholinergic nervous system. After baseline water intake during a 15 minute daily session was established, sweetened condensed milk was presented in place of water, followed 15 minutes later by an IP injection of saline, physostigmine (0.5 mg/kg), atropine (25 mg/kg) or mecamylamine (25 mg/kg). Three presentations of milk were given, alternating daily with a water presentation. Atropine, a muscarinic blocker, and mecamylamine, a nicotinic blocker, both produced a strong avoidance. Physostigmine, an indirect agonist, produced a less pronounced avoidance at the dose employed. This study indicates that cholinergic agonists and antagonists are capable of inducing conditioned gustatory avoidance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)827-828
Number of pages2
JournalPharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior
Volume15
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1981
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Atropine
  • Conditioned gustatory avoidance
  • Mecamylamine
  • Physostigmine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biological Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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