The role of gastric mechanoreceptor function in the regulation of behaviour patterns induced with thirst or hunger in rats.

In the experiments carried out on 94 rats the role of the function of gastric mechanoreceptors in the regulation of food and water intake was studied. We tried to assess whether this mechanoreception could serve as reinforcement in the induction of an instrumental feeding reflex. Distension of the stomach with a balloon inhibited significantly food intake in free consumption as well as in the instrumental reflex. On the other hand, no such effect was observed on water intake. The trial of development of an instrumental food reflex reinforced with stomach distension gave a negative result. The obtained results are explained as due to an ontogenetically fixed specific mode of food and water intake, and a modified concept of reduction-drive of reinforcement as proposed by Konorski is tentatively suggested for this explanation.