Gustatory preferences during estrus cycle in rats.

Estrus cycle has been used as a base to study gustatory responses in rats under conditions of two-bottle choice test given for one hour daily, and the data pooled respectively for diestrus/metestrus (D/M) and proestrus/estrus (P/E). Glucose (13.5%), sodium saccharin (0.2%), sodium chloride (0.9%), citric acid (0.004%) and quinine sulphate (0.002%) was each paired with water and a particular solution was presented daily for one week. Two days gap was given between two different solutions when only water was made available in both the bottles. An increased preference for glucose and saccharin, decrease to sodium chloride and no change in citric acid and quinine sulphate was observed at P/E. The differential gustatory response is perhaps linked to the levels of ovarian and hypophyseal hormones at the time of ovulation.