Résumé
The average duration of reinforcing intracranial stimulation (ICS) accepted by rats in a shuttle box is increased when these rats are tested in the presence of other male or female rats, or in a larger testing area. Time on the nonstimulation side of the shuttle box is unaffected indicating a selective interaction between the electrical stimulus and the test environment. It is concluded that the tolerence for ICS is increased as the environment provides increased support for exploration which is being elicited by the electrical stimulus. It is proposed that the termination of ICS and the variables affecting it might be understood in terms of an adaptation which regulates behavior between field and home.
| Langue d'origine | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (de-à) | 215-220 |
| Nombre de pages | 6 |
| Journal | Physiology and Behavior |
| Volume | 7 |
| Numéro de publication | 2 |
| DOI | |
| Statut de publication | Published - août 1971 |
| Publié à l'externe | Oui |
Note bibliographique
Funding Information:Experiment la Animals. The experimental animals were 12 male hooded rats who had bipolar electrodes implanted in a variety of diencephalic structures. The animals were selected from a larger population of similarly operated rats because they reliably initiated and terminated electrical stimulation through their respective electrodes by moving back and forth in a shuttle box. All animals were housed individually in wire cages and were kept on ad lib food and water. Apparatus. The animals were tested in a grey shuttle box (24 x 8 x 12 in.) which was constructed of wood except for one long side which was made of wire mesh. The mesh screen separated the shuttle box from a grey wooden box of identical dimensions which was divided into two equal compartments along its short axis. The floor of the shuttle box rested on a pivot such that the weight of the animal moving from one side to the other tilted the floor and operated microswitches located at either end. The switches were wired so that the presence of the animal on one side of the box operated the electrical stimulator. The electrical stimulus was a continuous 60 cycle sine wave 1This research was supported by a grant from the National Research Council of Canada NRC APB 149. The present report is based on data collected for a senior honors thesis and a masters thesis done by the second and third authors respectively. sPresent Address: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience