Autoren:	Stoilova, Vanya V. Wette, Sina A. Stüttgen, Maik C.
Titel:	A free-operant reward-tracking paradigm to study neural mechanisms and neurochemical modulation of adaptive behavior in rats
Online-Publikationsdatum:	24-Jan-2020
Erscheinungsdatum:	2019
Sprache des Dokuments:	Englisch
Zusammenfassung/Abstract:	The ability to respond flexibly to changing environmental circumstances is a hallmark of goal- directed behavior, and compromised flexibility is associated with a wide range of psychiatric conditions in humans, such as addiction and stress-related disorders. To identify neural circuits and transmitter systems implicated in the provision of cognitive flexibility, suitable animal paradigms are needed. Ideally, such models should be easy to implement, allow for rapid task acquisition, provide multiple behavioral readouts, and permit combination with physiological and pharmacological testing and manipulation. Here, we describe a paradigm meeting these requirements and employ it to investigate the neural substrates and neurochemical modulation of adaptive behavior. Water-restricted rats learned to emit operant responses for positive reinforcement (water reward) within minutes in a free-operant conditioning environment. Without further training, animals were able to track changes in the reward schedule. Given prior evidence that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the dopaminergic system are required for flexible behavior, we aimed to assess both in more detail. Silencing of mPFC compromised flexible behavior when avoidance of punishment was required. Systemic injections of the D2-receptor agonist quinpirole and the D2-receptor antagonist eticlopride had complex, differential impacts on reward seeking and adaptive behavior.
DDC-Sachgruppe:	610 Medizin 610 Medical sciences
Veröffentlichende Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Organisationseinheit:	FB 04 Medizin
Veröffentlichungsort:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-23
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hebis:77-publ-595227
Version:	Published version
Publikationstyp:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Nutzungsrechte:	CC BY
Informationen zu den Nutzungsrechten:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Zeitschrift:	International journal of molecular sciences 20 12
Seitenzahl oder Artikelnummer:	Art. 3098
Verlag:	Molecular Diversity Preservation International
Verlagsort:	Basel
Erscheinungsdatum:	2019
ISSN:	1422-0067 1661-6596
URL der Originalveröffentlichung:	http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms20123098
DOI der Originalveröffentlichung:	10.3390/ijms20123098
Enthalten in den Sammlungen:	JGU-Publikationen