Midkiff E E, Bernstein I L
Dev Psychobiol. 1983 Sep;16(5):385-94. doi: 10.1002/dev.420160504.
The degree to which adult taste preferences can be influenced by early taste exposure is a matter of some debate. The present studies characterize the developmental course of saline preference during maturation in the rat and examine whether adult saline preference is influenced by postweaning exposure to saline solutions. Saline intake from weaning to adulthood was examined in Wistar rats allowed continuous access to demineralized water and either .0, .9, 1.8, or 2.7% sodium chloride (NaCl) w/v solutions. When rats were immature they expressed greater preference for saline solutions than they did as adults. It is hypothesized that the overconsumption of saline by young animals is related to lower sensitivity of the taste system to NaCl in the early postweaning period. Animals that had had continuous access to saline from weaning were compared to those that had not received saline exposure early in life, in order to determine whether extensive experience with salt solutions leads to alterations in adult salt preference. These studies failed to reveal any evidence that rearing condition affects adult salt preference; thus adult salt preference may be maturationally determined and relatively independent of postweaning environmental influences.
成年期的味觉偏好受早期味觉接触影响的程度存在一定争议。本研究描述了大鼠成熟过程中对盐水偏好的发育过程，并探讨成年期对盐水的偏好是否受断奶后接触盐溶液的影响。在断奶至成年期，对可连续获取去离子水和0.0%、0.9%、1.8%或2.7%（重量/体积）氯化钠（NaCl）溶液的Wistar大鼠的盐水摄入量进行了检测。当大鼠未成熟时，它们对盐溶液的偏好高于成年期。据推测，幼龄动物对盐水的过度摄入与断奶后早期味觉系统对NaCl的较低敏感性有关。将断奶后持续接触盐水的动物与生命早期未接触盐水的动物进行比较，以确定对盐溶液的大量接触是否会导致成年期盐偏好的改变。这些研究未能揭示任何饲养条件影响成年期盐偏好的证据；因此，成年期盐偏好可能由成熟决定，且相对独立于断奶后的环境影响。
