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Neural Correlates And Neuroanatomy Of Juvenile And Adult Contextual Fear Memory Retention, Natalie Odynocki

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

AbstractFear is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that allows an organism to discern potential harm and act accordingly by engaging in defensive behaviors. While fear is an adaptive response, dysregulation of fear by means of a traumatic event can lead to psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Animal research using rodents in Pavlovian context fear conditioning experiments allows for the ability to study the underlying neural circuitry of threat-appropriate and aberrant fear learning and memory that may contribute to PTSD. However, despite reports that women are more than two times more likely to develop PTSD compared to men, the …

Persistence Of One-Trial Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization And Conditioned Activity In Preweanling Rats, Anthony Michael Cortez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the persistence of one-shot context-specific and context-independent behavioral sensitization by administering a single pretreatment injection of cocaine or saline in either the home cage or a novel test chamber on PD 19 or PD 79. In order to examine the persistence of conditioned activity, adult rats were given an injection of saline after 1, 3, or 5 abstinence days. Preweanling rats were given an injection of saline after only 1 abstinence day.

Role Of Dorsostriatal D1 And D2 Receptors In Modulating The Kappa Opioid-Mediated Locomotor Activity Of Preweanling Rats: Importance Of Synergistic Activation, Sergios Charntikov

Theses Digitization Project

Infusions of the nonselective dopamine agonist R( - ) propylnorapomorphine (NPA) into the dorsal striatum of preweanling rats atteuates kappa opioid-mediated locomotor activity. The purpose of this thesis was to ascertain which dopamine receptor subtype (D1 or D2) is responsible for this effect. It was hypothsized that a) D1, but not D2, receptors in the dorsal striatum underlie NPA's ability to attenuate the kappa opioid-mediated locomotor activity of preweanling rats, and b) microinjectng SKF38393 (a D1 agonist), and not quinpirole (a D2 agonist), would attenuate kappa opioid-mediated locomotion.

Modulation Of Memory Formation Following Violations Of Conditioned Expectations, Dennis Antonio Amodeo

Theses Digitization Project

Increment in attention to the conditioned stimulus (CS) leads to an increased rate of acquisition of new associations involving CS. While the neuroanatomical basis of the phenomenon is largely understood, little is known about the synaptic mechanisms underlying memory formation for prediction error. The current experiment tests the overall hypothesis that this specific form of memory depends on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation.

Acetylcholine Levels In The Prefrontal Cortex And Hippocampus During Trace And Delay Conditioning, Mary Melissa Flesher

Theses Digitization Project

The goal of this experiment was to examine the pattern of ACh release in mPFC and HPC during performance in trace and delay appetitive conditioning.

Superattraction: The Superlearning Phenomenon In Interpersonal Attraction, Ryan Edward Lipinski

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis will discuss Pavlovian conditioning and its utility in researching various areas of psychology including interpersonal attraction. It was designed to extend the application of conditioning principles in the study of interpersonal attraction by testing cue competition predictions made by the reinforcement-context theory of attraction.

The Effects Of Kappa Opioid And Dopamine Agonists On Unconditioned Behaviors And Fos Immunoreactivity In Preweanling And Adult Rats, Marcus Alan Duke

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Differential Reinforcement Of Other Behavior And Response Suppression: The Effects Of The Response-Reinforcement Interval, Thomas S. Rieg, Nelson F. Smith, Stuart Vyse

Psychology Faculty Publications

Three experiments were conducted comparing the effects of the relationship between the response-reinforcement interval and the reinforcement-reinforcement interval in a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) contingency. The experiments followed an acquisition, treatment, and reacquisition sequence where rats were trained to press a lever for food, were exposed to response elimination contingencies (DRO and extinction), and finally tested for the effectiveness of their respective treatment conditions. Experiment 1 shows that the longer the response-reinforcement interval the more effective the suppressive effects of DRO. Experiment 2 shows that it is the relationship of the response-reinforcement interval to the reinforcement-reinforcement interval that …

The Effect Of Partial Hepatectomy On The Strength Of A Conditioned Taste Aversion: A Parametric Study, Christopher Adam Duva

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Locus Of Conditioning On The Taste Potentiation Of Non-Gustatory Food Cues, Silvia Von Kluge

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Acquisition And Contextual Blocking Of Conditioned Attraction, Walter W. Henry Iii

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Disruption Of State-Dependency By An Emotionally Important Conditioned Stimulus Paired With Food Reward And Food Seeking Responses, Darcy L. Parks

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The Purpose was to determine if a 1KHZ tone, could disrupt state dependency in a T-meme when the tone was Paired with feeding and good seeking response on training trials and later presented on testing trials while subjects were in the drug(T) state opposite of the training state. The 64, 80 day old, male hooded rats were trained to an 18/20 criterion while either in D state, produced by 45 mg/kg interparitonal injections of chlordiazepoxide hydro chloride (Librium) or, the non drug(WD) state, produced by sterile water. Beginning with the opposite of the training D state, D and WD states …

Test For A Learned Drinking Response : Support For Appetitive Preparedness, Brian L. West

Master's Theses

Seligman, Ives, Ames and Mineka (1970a) have suggested that by the nature of the stimulus-response association in appetitive states a prepared mechanism using "mild" deprivation cues exists which will activate an appetitional resolution. Pairing of a neutral stimulus with this prepared mechanism results in a conditioned stimulus capable of electing the drinking response. Contrary to this hypothesis, Mowrer (1956) posited that a water deprived state induces an emotional reaction or "thirst fear." It is assumed that reduction of this stimulus may be accomplished by means of alleviating the deprived state. A conditioned external stimulus can therefore elicit the drinking response …

A Conditioning Model For The Mccollough Effect, Andreas D. Lord

Dissertations and Theses

A model based on the laws of classical conditioning is posed as an explanation for the McCollough Effect, an orientation-specific color aftereffect. This model stands as an alternative to the color-coded edge detector hypothesis. Background and relevant issues are presented. Two experiments were performed. The first demonstrated that an auditory stimulus causes the effect to appear stronger to some subjects, a disinhibiting effect. It was also shown that some subjects experience spontaneous recovery of the effect after it has been extinguished.

The second experiment demonstrated that the after-colors will generalize to lines of varying orientation, including 45°. Subjects adapted to …

Exteroceptive Influence On A Marihuana Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion, Albert William Greenwood

Dissertations and Theses

Forty-five male, Sprague Dawley rats were used to determine if external stimuli could influence the length of a conditioned taste aversion. Animals were given a novel taste (sucrose), and then injected with one of three different substances, marihuana, LiCI, or saline. The animals were then placed into either a stimulation condition, a non-stimulation condition, or returned to the home cage. The stimulation condition contained aversive stimuli in the form of bright, flashing lights and loud noises. The other conditions had no aversive stimulation. It was expected that the animals receiving injections of marihuana would have an increase in their responsiveness …

Sodium Phenobarbital In Prevention Of Electroconvulsive Shock-Induced Disruption Of Taste-Illness Association, Stuart W. Reynolds

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Male Holtzman rats injected with a toxic solution of lithium chloride (US) 30 minutes after drinking saccharin flavored water (CS) learned to avoid that taste upon subsequent encounter. Electroconvulsive shock (ECS) interpolated temporarily between the pairing of a novel taste (CS) and an induced gustatory illness (US) prevents the taste from being associated with the illness (Kral, 1971). The purpose of the present experiment was to determine if sodium phenobarbital pretreatment would protect the association of taste with illness, against the normally interfering effects of ECS in the interpolated intervention paradigm. This question was investigated with a 2 (sodium phenobarbital …

The Effects Of N-Length And Iti On Resistance To Extinction In A Free-Operant Situation, Raymond Kenworthy Mulhern Jr.

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The prediction of Capaldi's sequential learning theory (i966, 1967, 1970) that resistance to extinction (Rn) increases as a function of the number of successive nonrewarded trials (N-length) conditioned to the instrumental response has recently been supported in a discrete-trials leverpress situation but not in a free-operant leverpress situation (Wolach & Ferraro, 1971). To investigate this discrepancy, 32 male albino rats were trained to leverpress in the presence of a visual s^D under one of two N-length conditions (8 or 16) and one of four intertrial interval (ITI) conditions (5, 10, 15, or 30 sec.), the lowest of which corresponded …

The Effects Of Emotionally Important Stimuli On Dissociated Learning In A Discrimination Paradigm, Stanley P. Scoville

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Rats were trained to turn in one direction in a modified T-maze while in one drug state and in the opposite direction while in another drug state. Incorrect turns during training were punished with shock and for three of the transfer groups, shock was contiguously conditioned to a 10 KHz buzzer in the drug state and to a 1 KHz buzzer in the non-drug state. During no-shock testing, the dissociation subjects were tested for state-dependency while the transfer subjects were tested for transfer by reversing the buzzer previously associated with the particular drug state in training. The hypothesis, that the …

Anticholinesterase Action And Electroconvulsive Shock-Induced Disruption Of Taste-Illness Association, Terry J. Debriere

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Electroconvulsive shock (ECS) interpolated temporally between the pairing of a novel taste and an induced gustatory illness prevents the taste from being associated with the illness (Kral, 1971). Physostigmine has been shown to protect against retrograde amnesic effects of ECS on learning of a passive avoidance task (Davis, Thomas, and Adams, 1971). Physostigmine protection of ECS induced disruption of a conditioned taste aversion was investigated using a 2 (physostigmine vs. saline) x 2 (ECS vs. sham shock) x 2 (conditioned vs. nonconditioned) x 2 (conditioning day vs. test day) factorial design with repeated measures over the last factor. Results indicated …

Conditioned Helplessness And Human Escape Behavior, Robert E. Gabbard Jr.

All Master's Theses

The present study was undertaken to determine, first, whether or not "helplessness" can be conditioned in human subjects, and, secondly, the amount of behavioral variability that can be accounted for in terms of locus of control as measured by Rotter's Internal-External control scale (I-E scale).

An Experimental Analysis Of Superstitious Behavior In College Males, Nancy Alice Metzler

All Master's Theses

The possibility that superstitious responses would occur when aversive stimulation was randomly presented was investigated. There were three groups of 20 male introductory psychology students each. The Shock Group (SG) was given 45 unavoidable shocks. The Reinforcement Shock Group {RSG) was given 100 positive reinforcements and then 45 unavoidable shocks. The Reinforcement Punishment Group received 100 positive reinforcements and then 45 response contingent shocks and served to test the effectiveness of the shock as a punishing stimulus. Superstitious responses seemed to occur, but Ss of SG showed response patterns typical of punishment, while Ss of RSG showed increases in rates …

Classically Conditioned Licking And Acquired Orienting As A Function Of Qualitatively Different Ucs Values : Acquisition, Shifting And Extinction, Jerry Weeks Rudy

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (A) to study classically conditioned licking in rats as a function of a qualitative UCS difference, defined as 15% sucrose concentration and 0% concentration (plain tap water); (B) to study acquired orienting as a function of these UCS values. Several aspects of conditioned performance were investigated: (1) the effect of UCS intensity on level of responding during acquisition; (2) the effect of UCS intensity on rate of approach to terminal level of responding; (3) a possible learning performance distinction in appetitive classical conditioning; (4) rate of extinction as a function of the …

The Relationship Between Food And Fear, Henry Tjahjono

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, the procedure of feeding an organism in a fear-producting situation has been viewed as having a fear-reducing effect, called counterconditioning. English and English define counterconditioning as the procedure of conditioning a second and conflicting response to a conditioned stimulus that is not simultaneously being reinforced. Fear is reduced by conditioning to the fear-producing stimuli the incompatible emotional responses associated with eating (e.g.--Miller, 1951)

The strength of fear was illustrated by Miller in 1951. He found that albino rats, trained to run down an alley to secure food at a distinctive place and motivated by a 46-hour hunger, would pull …