N-2-chloroethyl-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride (DSP4), a new selective noradrenaline neurotoxin, and taste neophobia in the rat

Rats were systemically injected with N-2-cMoroethyl-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4), a selective noradrenaline neurotoxin, and their initial, neophobic response to a novel saccharin solution was measured. No significant alteration of the neophobic response was noted unless the novel saccharin was presented within a novel drinking bottle; then the DSP4- treated rats showed a significantly attenuated neophobia, as measured by drinking suppression ratios. The discrepancy between the present findings, which range from no alteration to an attenuated neophobia, and the enhanced neophobia result of a previous investigation that used 6-hydroxydopamine is explained on the basis of the different methods employed for depleting brain noradrenaline.