A high-sensitivity drinkometer circuit with 60-Hz filtering

The Use of a Novel Drinkometer System for Assessing Pharmacological Treatment Effects on Ethanol Consumption in Rats

“…Most drinkometer systems involve a lick‐sensing circuit, which applies a voltage to a metal drinking spout through a resistor and detect the voltage reductions that occur when the animal's tongue touches the spout, which grounds the spout through the animal's feet. Such drinkometer circuits have several limitations; the current that passes through the tongue may be detected by the animal, or it may alter the taste of the fluid and thereby influence the rate of licking (Overton and Overton, ). Furthermore, the classical drinkometer cage has a metal grid floor, which does not provide ideal conditions for long‐term observations.…”

A Simple 2‐transistor Touch or Lick Detector Circuit

“…A variety of such detectors are commercially available but are relatively expensive. Components for touch detectors circuits are inexpensive and, except for some special purpose designs (e.g., Overton & Overton, 2007), can be easily constructed in the laboratory. Advances in solid state components and circuit design, since the original report by Hill and Stellar (1951) on the use of ''drinkometers'' for detecting lick behavior of rats, make possible a variety of designs using only transistors, or operational amplifiers, CMOS comparators, and other integrated circuits.…”