title: Effects of dose and of partial body ionizing radiation on taste aversion learning in rats with lesions of the area postrema.
abstract: The effect of area postrema lesions on the acquisition of a conditioned taste aversion following partial body exposure to ionizing radiation was investigated in rats exposed to head-only irradiation at 100, 200 and 300 rad or to body-only irradiation at 100 and 200 rad. Following head-only irradiation area postrema lesions produced a significant attenuation of the radiation-induced taste aversion at all dose levels, although the rats still showed a significant reduction in sucrose preference. Following body-only exposure, area postrema lesions completely disrupted the acquisition of the conditioned taste aversion. The results are interpreted as indicating that: (a) the acquisition of a conditioned taste aversion following body-only exposure is mediated by the area postrema; and (b) taste aversion learning following radiation exposure to the head-only is mediated by both the area postrema and a mechanism which is independent of the area postrema.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013649:Taste / Q000528:radiation effects*