Disruption of conditioned taste aversion in the rat by stimulation of amygdale: a conditioning effect, not amnesia.
Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the disruption of conditioned taste aversion by delivery of amygdaloid brain stimulation during conditioning could be attributed to the stimulus properties of the brain stimulation. In Experiment 1, animals receiving brain stimulation (a) while drinking saccharin, (b) during the onset of LiCl toxicosis, or (c) in the interval between taste exposure and toxicosis drank significantly more saccharin solution during a 48 hr retest than implanted or unoperated controls receiving similar taste-toxicosis pairings. In contrast, a group receiving brain stimulation during both conditioning and retention trials developed a strong conditioned aversion. Experiment 2 confirmed that amygdaloid stimulation can form a compound with the taste of the saccharin solution. A small but significant aversion was displayed by groups exposed to brain stimulation plus taste during conditioning and to either taste alone or brain stimulation alone during the retest. Again, the group presented with brain stimulation and taste prior to and following LiCl toxicosis displayed a strong conditioned aversion. These data suggest that disruption of conditioned taste aversion with amygdaloid stimulation represents a conditioning effect, not amnesia.
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008094:Lithium / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*
D008094:Lithium