Foot shock facilitates reward seeking in an experience-dependent manner.

Foot shock facilitates reward seeking in an experience-dependent manner.
Behav Brain Res. 2020 Oct 31;:112974
Authors: Strickland JA, Dileo AD, Moaddab M, Ray MH, Walker RA, Wright KM, McDannald MA
Abstract
Animals organize reward seeking around aversive events. An abundance of research shows that foot shock, as well as a shock-associated cue, can elicit freezing and suppress reward seeking. Yet, there is evidence that experience can flip the effect of foot shock to facilitate reward seeking. Here we examined cue suppression, foot shock suppression and foot shock facilitation of reward seeking in a single behavioural setting. Male Long Evans rats received fear discrimination consisting of danger, uncertainty, and safety cues. Discrimination took place over a baseline of rewarded nose poking. With limited experience (1-2 sessions), all cues and foot shock suppressed reward seeking. With continued experience (10-16 sessions), suppression became specific to shock-associated cues, foot shock briefly suppressed, then facilitated reward seeking. Our results provide a means of assessing positive properties of foot shock, and may provide insight into maladaptive behaviour around aversive events.
PMID: 33144178 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Behavioural Brain Research - October 31, 2020 Category: Neurology Authors: Strickland JA, Dileo AD, Moaddab M, Ray MH, Walker RA, Wright KM, McDannald MA Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research