Abstract
The role of vasopressin (VP) in a sexually dimorphic behavior, the extinction of a conditioned taste aversion, was investigated in male and female rats of three different genotypes. This behavior was examined with a two bottle test in the wild-type Long-Evans (LE) rats, and then in partially VP deficient heterozygous (HET-BB) and completely VP deficient homozygous (HO-BB) Brattleboro rats. In Experiment 1, non-deprived male and female LE rats were given aversions to a sucrose solution by pairing it with a LiCl injection. The rate of extinction of the aversion upon reexposure to ad lib sucrose solution was examined and observed to be sexually dimorphic. Female LE rats extinguished at a significantly more rapid rate than males. Experiment 2 compared HET-BB and HO-BB male and female rats using the same paradigm. Neither of these VP-deficient groups showed sexual dimorphism of the extinction behavior. The data suggest that intact VP levels are necessary to observe the expression of this sexually dimorphic behavior.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 839-843 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Physiology and Behavior |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1992 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Brattleboro rats
- Conditioned taste aversion
- Diabetes insipidus
- Extinction
- Sex differences
- Sexual dimorphism
- Testosterone
- Vasopressin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience