The “Davis Rig” Gustometer

Prior to the 16 bottle setup, the most common taste response setup was the two bottle preference test, where two bottles of fluid are placed in an animal’s cage with one of taste solution (or water) and the other a different taste solution. This test is simple, doesn’t require much in the way of additional equipment, and is relatively straightforward to administer.

However, such simplicity comes at the price of interpretive ability. Although taste plays a sizable role in influencing the amount and type of foods/fluids ingested (as in a 2-bottle test), other factors such as post-ingestive events can influence behavior.

Our brief access lickometer is designed to:

• Deliver taste samples and measure responses, increasing likelihood that the behavior of the animal is under orosensory control
• Assess taste preference, ingestive behavior, and chemotransduction pathways in a rapid, efficient manner as there is no dead space in stimulus delivery lines to make fluid volumes consistent across trials
• Track licking behavior without passing electrical current through the animal
• Measure both unconditioned and conditioned licking behavior to stimuli
• Train the animal with various stimuli to obtain a reward and/or avoid punishment

This package contains everything needed for running brief access lickometery studies in a single subject.

To learn more about the history of the Davis Rig, check out the brochure or this webpage.