title: Learned preference and aversion for complete and isoleucine-devoid diets in rats.
abstract: Choice tests using flavored solutions were conducted to demonstrate a learned preference or aversion in rats fed replete (complete) or isoleucine (ILE)-devoid diets. In the first learning trial, rats demonstrated a preference for the flavored solutions paired with the replete diet at 6 and 24 h (p < 0.001), and an aversion for the solutions paired with the ILE-devoid diet at 6 h (p < 0.05). In the second trial, using a different concentration of tastant, rats ingested significantly more of the flavored solution paired with the replete diet at 24 h (11.4 +/- 3.0 g vs. 5.4 +/- 1.0 g, respectively; p < 0.05), and significantly more of a novel flavored solution than of the solution paired with the ILE-devoid diet at 24 h (12.4 +/- 2.4 g vs. 1.7 +/- 0.6 g, respectively; p < 0.001). These results suggest that learning contributes to the rat's ability to self-select diets that promote growth, and that a learning paradigm pairing flavored solutions with complete and indispensible amino acid-devoid diets may be used to demonstrate learned preferences and aversions for such diets in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naito-Hoopes
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: McArthur
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gietzen
authors.forename: Q R
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology*; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007532:Isoleucine