Prior running, but not swimming, hinders running-based taste aversion learning in rats

• Running or swimming endows rats with conditioned aversion to a paired taste.
• Preexposure to running alleviated running-based taste aversion.
• Preexposure to swimming had no effect on running-based taste aversion.
• Running and swimming may cause taste aversion via different physiological processes.

Running in an activity wheel or swimming in a water pool endows rats with conditioned aversion to a taste substance consumed before the activity. The present research explored effects of running or swimming familiarization on subsequent running-based taste aversion learning. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that running-based taste aversion is alleviated by prior running opportunities, but not by prior swimming opportunities. Failure to demonstrate swimming-to-running interference was replicated in Experiment 3, in which the duration of swimming preexposure was doubled. The null cross-familiarization effects suggest that different physiological processes are involved in running- and swimming-based taste aversions.