Immune activation paired with intraoral sucrose conditions oral rejection

The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LiCl on conditioned taste aversion acquisition using intraoral infusions as the method of taste delivery was examined. Rats received two pairings of an intraorally delivered sucrose (5 ml) taste with the effects of a systemic injection of LPS, LiCl or NaCl. The magnitude of conditioning was quantified by scoring taste reactivity responses to a brief intraoral infusion of sucrose in the absence of any drug injection. Rats previously conditioned with LiCl or LPS displayed clear evidence of conditioned aversion with increased oral rejection responses relative to saline controls. Our results suggest activation of the immune system with LPS can condition consummatory aspects of ingestion when this conditioning involves intraoral fluid presentation.