Phenylthiocarbamide produces conditioned taste aversions in mice.
Previous work has demonstrated that SWR/J (SW) mice avoid phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) to a greater degree than C3HeB/FeJ mice in 48 h, two-bottle preference tests given in ascending series. The authors hypothesized, based also on previous work, that SW mice might form a conditioned taste aversion over time due to the toxic properties of PTC. We directly tested this hypothesis by attempting to condition a taste aversion to sucrose by injections of PTC. In experiment 1, PTC was nearly as effective as a strong dose of LiCl in reducing sucrose drinking. In experiment 2, the sucrose aversions were parametrically modified by both sucrose concentration and PTC dose, a hallmark of conditioned taste aversion. We conclude that PTC can cause a conditioned taste aversion and discuss the importance of considering toxic effects of aversive tastants when analyzing behavioral strain differences.
St John
Steven J
SJ
Department of Psychology, Reed College, Portland, OR 97202, USA. stjohns@reed.edu
Pour
Lindsay
L
Boughter
John D
JD
D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004327:Drinking Behavior; D005260:Female; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010670:Phenylthiourea / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013395:Sucrose; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*
D013395:Sucrose; D010670:Phenylthiourea; D018021:Lithium Chloride