Food and water restriction protocols: Physiological and behavioral considerations

Food and water restriction protocols are common in animal research, yet the y often elicit discussion and controversy among institutional animal care a nd use committee members who review them. Determining a single standard by which all restriction protocols can be evaluated or performed may not be re alistic. However, information about the physiologic and behavioral impact o f food and water restriction can provide a basis for making rational judgme nts about these issues in general. This review will discuss the physiologic and behavioral consequences of food or water deprivation periods of 24 h o r less and of chronic restriction schedules, with special reference to prot ocols that use food or water restriction as a motivational tool for behavio ral training.