Abstract
Four groups of rats were initially exposed to a 3-week period of thiamine deficiency and then allowed to recover by means of a distinctively flavored, thiamine-enriched diet. Two other groups of rats (control) were exposed to the same sequence of conditions, but were given supplemental thiamine in their water so as not to become thiamine deficient. Following ingestion of this diet alone, each group was poisoned with a different lithium chloride concentration (either.05,.20,.40, or.65 M LiCl; control groups were injected with either.40 or.65 M LiCl. For 5 days following poisoning, rats received a choice between the deficient and enriched diets. The results indicated that preference for the thiamine-enriched diet was unaffected, i.e., no differential aversion accrued to this diet as a result of pairing with toxicosis. These results support a familiar-positive category of foods which form from an association with salutary effects on the organism and which are resistant to traditional regimens for effecting aversion.
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Buskist, W.F., Miller, H.L., Sparenborg, S.P. et al. Preference for Familiar-Positive Diet is Unaffected by Lithium Toxicosis: The Garcia Effect and Recovery From Thiamine Deficiency. Psychol Rec 32, 445–450 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394801
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394801