title: Role of learning in the selection of dietary protein in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).
abstract: Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were kept for several weeks on maintenance diets (MDs) that were either nutritionally complete or protein deficient, and had periodic access to protein-free and high-protein conditioning diets (CDs) with marker flavors (anise and clove). In Experiment 1, protein-restricted hamsters came to prefer the flavor of high-protein CDs but did not prefer unflavored high-protein CD. Thus, hamsters learned to select dietary protein by attending to the flavor of the CD. In Experiment 2, a within-subjects design was used, and MDs also had marker flavors (garlic and sage). Hamsters came to prefer the flavor of high-protein CD when protein restricted, and they showed this preference even in the absence of protein restriction if reexposed for only 90 min to merely the flavor of a protein-deficient MD. Thus, learned associations between the flavor and the usual postingestional consequences of a recently ingested MD can affect short-term dietary protein selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. dibatti@spartan.ac.brocku.ca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DiBattista
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mercier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D001245:Association Learning; D006224:Cricetinae; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000523:psychology*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005421:Flavoring Agents