I propose studies of the development of ingestive behavior. Ingestion is one of the few behaviors that can be studied from birth throughout the life of altricial mammals. As such, it provides a powerful tool for the analysis of behavioral and neural development. These studies will take advantages of techniques that we have developed for study of developing ingestive system of rats, away from the suckling situation. Our tests allow tight experimental control and avoid potential problems created by the special nature of suckling. Specifically, the development of (1) sensory modulation, and (2) physiological controls of ingestion will be studied. Sensory deprivation may contribute to the effects of food deprivation procedures, and this potential factor in the development of ingestive behavior will be investigated (3). In addition, I will assess the importance of specific and defined early oral experiences (4). These studies continue to examine a behavioral system for early ingestion that appears to be the precursor to adult ingestive behavior. It is a system which can provide a unique study arena for assessing neural and behavioral development. I propose here to begin relating brain development to behavioral changes in the developing ingestive system. One initial approach will utilize brain transections, a second, measurement of regional brain metabolic activity using the 14C-2DG autoradiography technique. The proposed projects treat ingestive behavior in pups as a general model of motivational development. Thus, they may provide a representative ontogenetic analysis of a system in which behavioral and neural development can be examined and integrated.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01HD017457-04S1
Application #
3314439
Study Section
Biopsychology Study Section (BPO)
Project Start
1982-09-01
Project End
1986-11-30
Budget Start
1985-04-01
Budget End
1986-11-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
071723621
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Myers, K P; Hall, W G (1998) Evidence that oral and nutrient reinforcers differentially condition appetitive and consummatory responses to flavors. Physiol Behav 64:493-500
Swithers, S E; Westneat, M W; Hall, W G (1998) Electromyographic analysis of oral habituation in rat pups. Physiol Behav 63:197-203
Myers, K P; Arnold, H M; Hall, W G (1997) Sensitization of ingestive responding in preweanling rats: time course and specificity. Behav Neurosci 111:413-23
Swithers, S E (1996) Effects of oral experience on rewarding properties of oral stimulation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 20:27-32
Swithers, S E (1995) Effects of physiological state on oral habituation in developing rats: cellular and extracellular dehydration. Dev Psychobiol 28:131-45
Swithers, S E; Hall, W G (1994) Does oral experience terminate ingestion? Appetite 23:113-38
Swithers-Mulvey, S E; Hall, W G (1993) Integration of oral habituation and gastric signals in decerebrate rat pups. Am J Physiol 265:R216-9
Westneat, M W; Hall, W G (1992) Ontogeny of feeding motor patterns in infant rats: an electromyographic analysis of suckling and chewing. Behav Neurosci 106:539-54
Swithers-Mulvey, S E; Hall, W G (1992) Control of ingestion by oral habituation in rat pups. Behav Neurosci 106:710-7
Swithers-Mulvey, S E; Mishu, K R; Hall, W G (1992) Oral habituation in rat pups is in the brainstem. Physiol Behav 51:639-42

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