SACCHARINS AVERSIVE TASTE IN RATS - EVIDENCE AND IMPLICATIONS

In most biobehavioral research using rats as subjects, saccharin is vi ewed as a ''sugar substitute''-sweet, palatable, and conveniently lack ing in calories. This characterization has merit: Saccharin seems to s hare some sensory, affective, and motivating properties with sugars. T his paper focuses on saccharin's lesser known, aversive properties. Ev idence of saccharin's distinctive taste in rats is reviewed, followed by discussion of several modulating variables. Procedures that influen ce rats' responses to saccharin and their measurement are summarized, and the argument is advanced that saccharin can be used to study the r elationship of taste and ingestion to learning, stress, and emotional processes in rats and humans.