Habituating effects of nonhydrational oral stimulation on ingestive behaviors

The role of oral stimulation in the control of ingestive behavior was investigated using an airlicking procedure. It was hypothesized that the oral experience of airlicking would inhibit subsequent ingestive activity (water intake), possibly via an habituation process as suggested by recent research (Swithers, 1996). Rats were implanted with gastric cannulas and trained to lick at a stream of air. Experimental conditions con-sisted of combinations of airlicking and intragastric hydration followed by oral intake of water. In support of the main hypothesis, airlicking did reduce subsequent ingestive activity. While the role of habituation was not tested directly, the results lend support to the proposal that oral stimulation does control ingestion, and this control could act through an habituation process.