Synonyms
Aversive taste memory; Bait shyness; Garcia’s effect; Learned taste aversion; Learned toxiphobia; Taste aversion learning
Definition
Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is a robust type of learning relevant for predicting negative visceral consequences of oral intake. It relies on selective associations between taste and visceral cues. The association between a taste cue and a delayed visceral malaise can be readily formed in one trial. As a consequence the taste becomes disliked and it will be avoided in later presentations. This behavioral defensive mechanism, which favors survival by avoiding repeated poisoning, can be traced through the phylogeny from invertebrates to humans and along the ontogenetic development from prenatal life to aging. Research on this type of learning has played a major role not only for modern learning theories but also for investigating the neurobiological basis of learning. It may also contribute to understand the learning mechanisms involved in...
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References
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© 2008 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
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Gallo, M. (2008). Aversive Taste Memory. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_502
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_502
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
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