Geomagnetic activity during the previous day is correlated with increased consumption of sucrose during subsequent days: is increased geomagnetic activity aversive?

In five separate blocks over a period of several months for 33 female rats the amount of geomagnetic activity during the day before ad libitum access to 10% sucrose or water was positively correlated with the volume of sucrose consumed per 24-hr. period. The strength of the correlation (.62 to .77)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Perceptual and motor skills 2004-06, Vol.98 (3 Pt 2), p.1126-1128
Main Authors: Galic, M A, Persinger, M A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Circadian Rhythm
Earth (Planet)
Female
Habituation, Psychophysiologic
Magnetics
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Reinforcement (Psychology)
Sucrose - metabolism
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Summary:In five separate blocks over a period of several months for 33 female rats the amount of geomagnetic activity during the day before ad libitum access to 10% sucrose or water was positively correlated with the volume of sucrose consumed per 24-hr. period. The strength of the correlation (.62 to .77) declined over the subsequent 10 days from between .12 to -.18 and resembled an extinction curve. In a subsequent experiment four rats exposed to 5 nT to 8 nT, 0.5-Hz magnetic fields that ceased for 30 min. once every 4 hr. for 4 days consumed 11% more sucrose than the four rats exposed to no field. We suggest that the initial consumption of 10% sucrose may have been reinforced because it diminished the aversive physiological effects associated with the increased geomagnetic activity. However, over the subsequent days, as geomagnetic activity decreased or habituation occurred, negative reinforcement did not maintain this behavior.
ISSN:0031-5125
DOI:10.2466/PMS.98.3.1126-1128