title: Change in the hedonic value of an aversive stimulus in the presence of a pre-exposed odor.
abstract: Rats exhibit a sensitive period from the time of birth until postnatal day 10 during which they develop preferences for odors even if those odors are paired with a moderately aversive stimulus. It is still unknown whether pre-exposure to an odor produces alterations on intake responses of basic tastants, and on other patterns that indicate a change in the hedonic value of reward, such as nipple grasping behavior. The current study assessed the effect of pre-exposure to an odor immediately after birth on intake responses of appetitive and aversive tastants. The objectives were to assess if 3-hour-old rats adjust their behaviors to obtain different values of appetitive and aversive rewards in the presence of a familiar odor. Specifically we wanted to determine whether the intake of saccharin or quinine, administered through the artificial nipple, increases in the presence of the familiar odor. Results showed that 3-hour-old rats differentially respond to two different concentrations of saccharin and two concentrations of quinine. In the presence of the pre-exposed odor newborn rats increased intake and grasp responses to the artificial nipple containing quinine. This effect disappeared with a higher concentration of quinine. These results suggest that the pre-exposed odor generated a change in the hedonic value of the aversive reward.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada, IDIM, CONICET, UBA, Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud (CAECIHS-UAI), Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: yoselevich@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Giselle V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Kamenetzky
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada, IDIM, CONICET, UBA, Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud (CAECIHS-UAI), Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pautassi
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada, IDIM, CONICET, UBA, Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud (CAECIHS-UAI), Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alba E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Mustaca
authors.affiliation: Southern Connecticut State University, United States.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Nizhnikov
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D011803:Quinine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012439:Saccharin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013549:Sweetening Agents
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D011803:Quinine; D012439:Saccharin
keywords: Aversive solutions; Newborn rats; Olfactory learning; Ontogeny