Gray R W, Cooper S J
Department of Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK.
Physiol Behav. 1995 Nov;58(5):853-9. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(95)00115-y.
The taste reactivity (TR) test was devised as a method to obtain behavioural data in response to gustatory stimuli in neurologically impaired rats, incapable of voluntary feeding. Sapid solutions were infused through surgically implanted intraoral cannulae. Facial and motor responses corresponded well to known hedonic and aversive properties of tastes (e.g., sweet, bitter). TR testing has since proved effective as an adjunct to intake-based methods, in the psychopharmacology of ingestion in the normal rat. We developed a nonsurgical modification of the TR test, in which intact rats sampled stimuli voluntarily. The benzodiazepine receptor agonist midazolam (3.0 mg/kg, IP) was administered to rats first trained to consume a sweet 3% sucrose solution, and later tested with access to a bitter 0.01% quinine solution. Response were videotaped, and TR measures were scored during periods of noningestion using a frame-by-frame playback. Treatment increased ingestion and facilitated ingestive responses in accordance with published data for cannulated rats. Results support a two-component view of response palatability, in which treatment alters feeding motivation, increasing positive palatability and facilitating ingestion of both palatable and unpalatable stimuli.
味觉反应（TR）测试被设计为一种方法，用于在无法自主进食的神经受损大鼠中获取对味觉刺激的行为数据。通过手术植入的口腔内插管注入有味溶液。面部和运动反应与已知的味觉享乐和厌恶特性（如甜味、苦味）非常吻合。自那以后，TR测试已被证明是正常大鼠摄入心理药理学中基于摄入量方法的有效辅助手段。我们开发了一种TR测试的非手术改良方法，完整的大鼠可以自愿品尝刺激物。将苯二氮䓬受体激动剂咪达唑仑（3.0毫克/千克，腹腔注射）给予首先训练食用3%蔗糖甜味溶液、随后测试能否接触0.01%奎宁苦味溶液的大鼠。对反应进行录像，并在非进食期间使用逐帧回放对TR指标进行评分。与已发表的插管大鼠数据一致，治疗增加了摄入量并促进了摄食反应。结果支持反应适口性的双成分观点，即治疗改变了进食动机，增加了正向适口性，并促进了可口和不可口刺激物的摄入。
