Attenuation of conditioned flavor preference by US postexposure in the rats

Abstract

Effects of postexposure of sucrose solution on conditioned flavor preference after flavor-sucrose pairing were investigated. Forty-two hungry rats were allowed to drink 5% sucrose solution with a flavor and tap water with another flavor in phase 1. In phase 2, Group US received unflavored sucrose solution postexposure and Group C+received sucrose solution with a third flavor. Group Water was given unflavored tap water. Finally, all subjects received choice tests of two flavors used in conditioning. Groups US and C+showed less preference to the sucrose-paired flavor than Group Water. These results suggest that context-sucrose association did not play a major role in the postexposure effect of sucrose on conditioned flavor preference.