The present study examined the effects of neurotoxic lesions of the central nucleus (CNA) and basolateral complex (BLA) of the amygdala on conditioned taste aversion (CTA) in a latent inhibition design. In Experiment 1, lesions of the CNA were found to have no affect on CTA acquisition regardless of whether the taste conditioned stimulus (CS) was novel or familiar. Lesions of the BLA, although having no influence on performance when the CS was familiar, retarded CTA acquisition when the CS was novel in Experiment 2. The pattern of results suggests that the CTA deficit in rats with BLA lesions may be a secondary consequence of a disruption of perceived stimulus novelty.
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