Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Linda Parker

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

Conditioned rejection reactions displayed in the taste reactivity test may reflect conditioned nausea in rats because they are exclusively produced by emetic agents. The present experiments demonstrated that pretreatment with the anti-nausea agent, ondansetron, interfered with the establishment of conditioned rejection reactions (Experiment 1) and interfered with the expression of previously established conditioned rejection reactions (Experiment 2). Ondansetron selectively interfered with conditioned nausea as reflected by conditioned rejection reactions because it did not modify the unconditioned rejection reactions elicited by unpalatable quinine solution (Experiment 2). Although ondansetron blocked the expression of the selective taste reactivity reaction of conditioned rejection, it did not modify the nonselective reactions of conditioned taste or place avoidance (Experiment 3). The results suggest that conditioned rejection reactions reflect conditioned nausea in rats that is attenuated by pretreatment with the anti-nausea agent, ondansetron.

Convocation Year

1999

Convocation Season

Fall

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