Modulation of conditioned taste aversion by sodium pentobarbital

The effects of pentobarbital on the formation and expression of LiCl induced taste aversion were examined using a two-bottle preference test. Rats adapted to restricted fluid intake were offered a 15% sucrose solution 15 min after a pentobarbital or saline injection but prior to post-CS LiCl or control injections. All animals were tested 3 days later in either the same or opposite drug state, and were returned to the conditioning day drug state for a second test. The results showed that pentobarbital in testing disrupted evidence for taste aversion in a manner not simply accounted for by its dipsogenic effects. It was suggested that the present paradigm may prove to be a simple behavioral assay for screening putative anxiolytic drugs.