Schedule-Induced Polydipsia as a Function of the Consummatory Rate

Abstract

Schedule-induced polydipsia was studied in 2 food-deprived rats. In one condition one food pellet was presented per “meal,” and effects of varying the inter-meal interval were studied. It was found that as inter-meal interval increased, water intake per session decreased, whereas amount drunk per interval increased, reaching a maximum at 4 min., before decreasing at 5 min. In a second condition rate of food consumption was held constant by increasing meal size as inter-meal interval increased. Despite holding consummatory rate constant, as inter-meal interval increased, the amount drunk per session again decreased. These results are incompatible with the suggestion that schedule-induced polydipsia is a function of consummatory rate.