AGE-DEPENDENT TASTE PREFERENCES IN RABBITS FOR A .025-PERCENT SODIUM SACCHARIN SOLUTION - PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Classical conditioning of rhythmic jaw movements in rabbits is an acce pted model of associative learning that may be useful in assessing age -related changes in learning and motivation. A saccharin solution has been thought to be rewarding to rabbits and is often used as an uncond itioned stimulus (US). To determine whether age-related differences in preference for saccharin exist, we assessed (a) saccharin versus wate r preferences and (b) fluid intake level differences (which might acco unt for differing drive levels) in young (4-6 months) and old (31-69 m onths) rabbits. Young animals demonstrated a significant preference fo r water, whereas old animals strongly preferred the saccharin solution . There were no differences between young and old rabbits in overall f luid intake. These results suggest that whereas saccharin may be an ap petitive US for old rabbits, it may be aversive to young ones. Thus ag ing may affect the incentive value of rewarding stimuli, complicating the interpretation of interactions among aging, learning, and motivati onal processes.