Rapid extinction of a conditioned taste aversion following unreinforced intraperitoneal injection of the fluid CS

After drinking a novel, saccharin-cyclamate solution, two groups of rats were poisoned with LiCl injection in order to establish a conditioned taste aversion, while a control group was not poisoned. Eighteen hours later, one of the poisoned groups of rats received differential unreinforced exposure to the sweet solution via an intraperitoneal injection. The group injected with the concentrated form of the saccharin-cyclamate solution showed subsequent rapid extinction of the conditioned taste aversion. An analogy was made to the technique of flooding (response prevention) used to hasten extinction of active, shock-motivated avoidance behavior.