Adequate acoustic stimulus for startle reaction in the cat.

Fleshler, Morton

doi:10.1037/h0022318

Cited by 131 publications

(53 citation statements)

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“…The amplitude of the acoustic startle reflex in the rat (Fleshler, 1965) and in the human (Berg, 1974) is related to the tonal frequency of the eliciting stimulus (Foss, 1985), its intensity (Hoffman & Searle, 1968), duration (Marsh, Hoffman, & Stitt, 1973), rise time (Ison, 1978), and repetition rate (Davis, 1970). In addition, lawful modification of the startle reflex results from varying the intensity and lead time of sensory stimuli presented prior to or accompanying the eliciting stimulus (Hoffman & Searle, 1968;Ison & Hammond, 1971;Krauter, Leonard, & Ison, 1973).…”

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confidence: 99%

Effects of motor activity on the elicitation and modification of the startle reflex in rats

Wecker

Ison

1986

Animal Learning & Behavior

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In order to examine the effects of efferent processes on the elicitation and modification of startle behavior, we administered startle-eliciting stimuli to rats while they were engaged in spontaneous motor activity. When tone bursts (Experiment 1) or electric shocks (Experiment 2) were used to elicit the reflex, its amplitude was substantially less when the rats were active than when they were quiet. Grooming, face washing, and consuming were associated with the greatest reduction. The ability of a 50-dB auditory prepulse to inhibit a subsequent auditory startle was also reduced during activity (Experiment 3). The amount of inhibition produced by a prepulse was decreased even when the baseline startle responses were equated in quiet and activity by varying the intensity of the eliciting stimulus, indicating that the reduction was not due to an artificial "floor effect" (Experiment 4). The study demonstrated that both sensory and motor events affect reflexive responses in the rat, as is known for the human.Variation in the strength of an elicited reflex can be attributed in large part to the different properties of the eliciting stimulus and the conditions under which it is presented. The amplitude of the acoustic startle reflex in the rat (Fleshler, 1965) and in the human (Berg, 1974) is related to the tonal frequency of the eliciting stimulus (Foss, 1985), its intensity (Hoffman & Searle, 1968), duration (Marsh, Hoffman, & Stitt, 1973), rise time (Ison, 1978), and repetition rate (Davis, 1970). In addition, lawful modification of the startle reflex results from varying the intensity and lead time of sensory stimuli presented prior to or accompanying the eliciting stimulus (Hoffman & Searle, 1968; Ison & Hammond, 1971;Krauter, Leonard, & Ison, 1973). Thus, elicitation and modification of the startle reflex are inherently dependent on the characteristics of external sensory inputs which temporally surround the response.In addition to these external sensory events, variation in reflex strength appears to depend on internal efferent processes as well. In laboratory animals, stimuli paired with noxious events facilitate the startle reaction, an effect hypothesized to result from their conditioned elicitation of emotional reactions (Brown, Kalish, & Farber, 1951;Davis & Astrachan, 1978). In the human, Jendrassik (1883) demonstrated that when patients pulled oneThis work was supported in part by a research grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, R-8068201, and a NSF predoctoral fellowship award to John R. Wecker. Although this research was supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it has not been subjected to the agency's peer and policy review. Therefore, it does not reflect the view of the agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.Portions of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 1981, New York. The authors wish to thank K. Sheldon and S. Rumsey for technical assistance, and A. Eastwood for editorial review. Send...

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confidence: 99%

Effects of motor activity on the elicitation and modification of the startle reflex in rats

Wecker

Ison

1986

Animal Learning & Behavior

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“…1988] noted similarities between microwave evoked body movements and classical startle reflexes. Startle is a protective response of mammals to an unexpected, sudden and intense visual, auditory, or tactile stimulus [Fleshier 1965]. Brown et al [1994] studied this effect in detail in mice exposed locally (head and neck) to 1.25 GHz microwave pulses ranging from 50 ms to 3.2 s. Results of this study arc shown in Table 1.…”

Section: Microwave Evoked Body Movementsmentioning

confidence: 83%

Services to Operate and Maintain the Microwave Research Facility at Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas

Akyel¹

2001

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“…Intense stimulation, novel or not, tends to elicit a startle reaction. In its most developed form this consists in limb extension followed by generalized 244 Exploration flexion leading to a crouching posture, all within 10-20 ms of stimulation (Fleshler 1965, Horlington 1968. The crucial determinants of the startle reaction, which can be classified as a defensive reflex, are the intensity and suddenness of the stimulating event Hunt 1939, Fleshler 1965), where intensity is best conceived in terms of signal-to-noise ratios (Davis 1974).…”

Section: The Form Of Reactions To Novelty/noticeabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%