Extended Data Fig. 9. Timing of fluid preference learning.

a, Summary plots of consumption of each solution on each fluid preference training day using the protocol in which mice have access to water for 60 min in each training day (see Fig. 5c). b, Illumination of VTA-DA neurons throughout the entire training session (60 min) prevents preference learning in mice expressing GtACR but not in the mCherry-expressing controls. c, (Left) Revised training protocol in which water access is removed after 10 min of consumption in each training session. (Right) Robust preference learning occurs even with only 10 min access (i.e. water is removed before VTA-DA activity has changed due to post-absorptive changes; n = 6). d, Changes in total consumption on the first and last days of training in delayed silencing experiment (Fig. 5e). ns.P > 0.05, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. All error bars and shaded lines show mean±s.e.m. Statistics in Extended Data Table 4.