Changes

When a taste is paired with a suspected toxin, the animal may (or may not) learn a [[Conditioned Taste Aversion]]. The only way to tell if the animal has a CTA is to try to measure the CTA in an expression test (also called a retrieval test.) An expression test is also called an extinction test, because the taste is presented without the toxin: if the taste is repeatedly presented without the toxin, the animal will “unlearn” the association of taste and toxin and the CTA will be extinguished.

When a taste is paired with a suspected toxin, the animal may (or may not) learn a [[Taste Aversion|Conditioned Taste Aversion]]. The only way to tell if the animal has a CTA is to try to measure the CTA in an expression test (also called a retrieval test.) An expression test is also called an extinction test, because the taste is presented without the toxin: if the taste is repeatedly presented without the toxin, the animal will “unlearn” the association of taste and toxin and the CTA will be extinguished.

There are several ways to measure CTA expression. They vary in the aspect of CTA learning that is measured, and in their sensitivity.  

There are several ways to measure CTA expression. They vary in the aspect of CTA learning that is measured, and in their sensitivity.