Running-based taste aversion learning in five strains of rats

Although it is well known that voluntary wheel running works as an effective unconditioned stimulus to cause conditioned taste aversion (CTA) in several strains of rats, there is no study that explores strain differences in running-based CTA. The present study examines this issue with regard to five frequently used rat strains. Experiment 1 compared Sprague-Dawley versus Wistar rats from two suppliers, with the target taste being salty (NaCl + MSG) and then sweet (saccharin). Experiments 2, 3, and 4 tested rats of Wistar versus Long-Evans, Lewis versus Fischer, and Sprague-Dawley versus Lewis strains, respectively, with sweet and then salty solutions. None of the experiments showed any reliable strain differences in the strength of running-based CTA, suggesting the robustness of this learning phenomenon.