ACTH and ACTH4–20 modification of neophobia and taste aversion responses in the rat.

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Abstract
ACTH and the ACTH analog ACTH4-10 delayed the extinction of a conditioned taste aversion established by a single pairing of LiCl with milk. In this situation, the ACTH parent peptide was more potent behaviorally. Administration of ACTH suppressed milk consumption in animals with no toxicosis experience; this effect was apparently not due to the conditioning of a taste aversion with ACTH serving as a weak aversive unconditioned stimulus. Administration of exogenous ACTH or ACTH4-10 did not enhance neophobia, but repeated injections of ACTH suppressed drinking. This ACTH suppression was related to the familiarity/novelty of the substance being consumed. The neophobic response to milk was not accompanied by pituitary-adrenal activation. Both neophobic and conditioned taste aversion situations may be useful for assessing peptide effects on consummatory behavior.