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Motion sickness-induced pica in the rat
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|February 1, 1977
Summary
Motion sickness can cause pica, the consumption of non-nutritive substances like clay. This study suggests gastrointestinal distress is a key factor in pica
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Animal Models
Background:
- Pica, the consumption of non-nutritive substances, is often linked to nutritional deficiencies or toxic states.
- The role of gastrointestinal distress in pica etiology remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of motion sickness on pica behavior in rats.
- To determine if gastrointestinal malaise alone can induce pica.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Rats exposed to rotational stimulation (inducing motion sickness) and observed for geophagia (clay consumption).
- Experiment 2: Conditioned aversion paradigm used to confirm rotational stimulation induced motion sickness.
Main Results:
- Rats experiencing motion sickness exhibited geophagia.
- Rotational stimulation was confirmed to reliably induce motion sickness in rats.
- Gastrointestinal malaise, independent of deficiency or toxemia, elicited pica.
Conclusions:
- Motion sickness and associated gastrointestinal distress can trigger pica.
- Gastrointestinal distress may be a significant contributing factor to the development of pica.