Saccharin's rewarding, conditioned reinforcing, and memory-improving properties: mediation by isomorphic or independent processes?

Unconditioned reward and conditioned reinforcing effects may reflect an isomorphic motivational process because increased conditioned reinforcing effects were seen with increased amounts of saccharin consumed in taste and place conditioning. Reinforcing effects in place conditioning leveled off as saccharin unconditioned consumption reached maximum amounts of approximately 140 mg/rat. Posttrial consumption, but not intraperitoneal injection, of saccharin significantly enhanced conditioned place and taste preferences as well as conditioned taste aversions. Saccharin's memory-improving effects in both aversive and appetitive conditioning suggest a process separate from the reward-reinforcement process. Independent of effects on blood glucose, the motivational property of saccharin's sweet taste undergoes differential central processing to mediate reward-reinforcement versus memory improvement processes.