Abstract
Food-deprived rats develop polydipsia on an intermittent schedule (fixed time 60 sec) of food pellet delivery, but not on an identical schedule of food powder delivery. This result was demonstrated with separate groups receiving each type of food and was replicated using rats as their own controls. Powdered food not only prevented the development of polydipsia, but it abruptly terminated ongoing polydipsia in rats that were switched from the scheduled delivery of pellets to powder. Ethological analysis of the behavior showed that the rats receiving powder were not engaging excessively in some behavior other than drinking. After discounting several factors, we concluded that the amount of oral activity associated with feeding, which occurred immediately after food delivery, was reciprocally related to the level of drinking.
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Funds for the research were supplied by the Alberta Mental Health Advisory Council to C. H. M. Beck.
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Beck, C.H.M., Huh, T.J.S., Mumby, D.G. et al. Schedule-induced behavior in rats: Pellets versus powder. Animal Learning & Behavior 17, 49–62 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03205212
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03205212