Taste-aversion conditioning, but not immunosuppression conditioning, occurs under partial water deprivation

J Gen Psychol. 2009 Jan;136(1):71-89. doi: 10.3200/GENP.136.1.71-90.

Abstract

The authors investigated whether conditioned taste aversion and immunosuppression took place when water was available during conditioning and test protocols. The authors elicited taste-aversion conditioning and immunosuppression in outbred CD1-strain mice by pairing a conditioned stimulus (sucrose or saccharin solution) with an unconditioned stimulus (cyclophosphamide) that causes gastrointestinal upset and is immunosuppressive. The authors introduced a new conditioning protocol: 5 pairings of a saccharin solution with a low-dose injection of cyclophosphamide. Under these conditions, the authors generated conditioned aversion to saccharin but did not generate conditioned decrease of the antibody response. The authors conclude that taste-aversion conditioning, but not immunosuppression conditioning, occurred under partial water deprivation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / immunology
  • Antibody Formation / physiology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Conditioning, Classical / physiology*
  • Cyclophosphamide / toxicity
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Hemocyanins / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Immunosuppression Therapy*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Saccharin
  • Sucrose
  • Taste / immunology*
  • Water Deprivation / physiology*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Sucrose
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Hemocyanins
  • Saccharin
  • keyhole-limpet hemocyanin