Food deprivation and exposure to a stressor both influence spatial per
formance. These effects may not be independent, because stress changes
eating and body weight. The present study dissociated stress from eat
ing and body weight to determine whether stress alters spatial perform
ance indirectly via ingestive processes. Some rats experienced inescap
able tailshock accompanied by reduced eating and body weight (STRESS+D
EP), while others experienced only stress (STRESS) or only reduced eat
ing and body weight (DEP). Eight-arm radial maze exploration was asses
sed in all groups. Exploration quality was similar across groups, and
amount of exploration differed most between the groups that differed l
east with respect to deprivation: DEP rats explored more than did STRE
SS+DEP rats. Thus, stress apparently does not alter exploration by vir
tue of a change in ingestion. However, stressed rats that were spared
reduced caloric intake and body weight (STRESS) explored more than did
STRESS+DEP rats, suggesting that food can attenuate stress-induced re
ductions in exploration.