AA Four Choice Preference

Adam Kimbrough, with help from Rachel Davenport

Start Date: Approx 9/8/08

Purpose: To establish a preference between 4 choices added to Kool-Aid and show that the preference can be conditioned.

Subjects: 8 rats individually caged

Substances used:

All solutions contain a base of 0.05% (1g/2l) Kool-Aid and 0.05% (1g/2l) saccharin

Kool-Aid flavors being used: Cherry, Grape, Lemonade, and Tropical Punch

Solutions are mixed with the base and one of the following:

1. 0.15% (3g/2l) saccharin
2. 8% (160g/2l) fructose
3. 8% (160g/2l) glucose
4. 8% (160g/2l) maltodextrin (polycose)

Experiment will run for 4 days using 4 bottles (1 of each solution) in the cages to establish preference.

Experiment will then run for 4 more days using 4 bottles each with Kool-Aid base solutions only to measure conditioning of preference.

Daily Procedures:

1. Remove the bottles from the cages
2. Weigh the bottles to measure amount of liquid consumed
3. Empty and rinse the bottles thoroughly
4. Refill the bottles with the 4 solutions
5. Weigh the bottles to record how much liquid is in each bottle
6. Place bottles in random positions in the cage
7. Check food level in cage (make sure they have enough)