Effects of housing on consummatory successive negative contrast in rats: wire-bottom cages versus polycarbonate tubs

Abstract

In consummatory successive negative contrast, rats that have had experience drinking 32% sucrose solution drink significantly less 4% sucrose solution than rats that have drunk only 4% solution. This contrast effect occurs reliably when rats are housed in wire-bottom cages, but it occurs significantly less frequently when rats are housed in polycarbonate tubs. Although it is unclear what causes these differences among housing conditions, the present study underscores the impact that housing conditions outside the domain of the training environment can have on behavioral outcomes.