Environmental Health Perspectives 105, Supplement 2, March 1997 working group report


Pavlovian Conditioning and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Shepard Siegel1 and Richard Kreutzer2

1 Department of Psychology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
2 Environmental Health Investigation Branch, California Department of Health Services, Emeryville, California

Abstract
Pavlovian conditioning processes may contribute to some symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). This review summarizes the potential relevance of the literature on conditional taste and olfactory aversions, conditional sensitization, and conditional immunomodulation to understanding MCS. A conditioning-based perspective on MCS suggests novel research and treatment strategies. -- Environ Health Perspect 105(Suppl 2):521-526 (1997)

Key words: aversion learning, classical conditioning, conditioning, counterconditioning, learning, MCS, multiple chemical sensitivity, Pavlovian conditioning, systematic desensitization

This paper is based on a work group discussion at the Conference on Experimental Approaches to Chemical Sensitivity held 20-22 September 1995 in Princeton, New Jersey. Manuscript received at EHP 6 March 1996; manuscript accepted 11 July 1996.
Preparation of this paper was aided in part by a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to Shepard Siegel. The paper is partly based on the deliberations of the Working Group on Conditioning and Learning. The authors, co-chairs of the working group, express their appreciation to the other members of the group: Nicholas Giardino, Roland Griffiths, Susan Knasko, Brian Leaderer, Paul Lehrer, Robert MacPhail, and Anthony Wetherell.
Address correspondence to Dr. S. Siegel, Department of Psychology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1. Telephone: (905) 525-9140, ext. 24238. Fax: (905) 529-6225. E-mail: siegel@mcmaster.ca
Abbreviations used: CR, conditional response; CS, conditional stimulus; EA, egg albumin; MCS, multiple chemical sensitivity; UCR, unconditional response; UCS, unconditional stimulus.

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Last Update: March 25, 1997