Effects of Saturated and Unsaturated Fats on Learning, Emotionality, and Reaction to Stress

Abstract

Dietary fat was manipulated in a pilot study to assess its effects on emotionality, operant conditioning, and escape conditioning in 30 male rats. Low-fat Ss learned best in the Skinner box. Those maintained on high saturated fat showed somewhat more emotionality but performed better in the water maze. There was some indication that restriction of dietary fat did not interfere with routine learning, but it did retard learning under stressful conditions.