Behavioral field analysis in two strains of rats in a conditioned defensive burying paradigm

Tsuda, Atsushi; Ida, Yoshishige; Tanaka, Masatoshi

doi:10.3758/bf03209087

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The results of the present four experiments illustrate that the shock-prod defensive burying/freezing paradigm served well as an experimental setting for assessing the neuroendocrine correlates of active and passive avoidance behavior in rats. Consistent with previous reports (26,32,34), the data clearly show that, depending on the availability of bedding material, rats cope with a well-localized source of aversive stimulation (an electrified prod) within their home cage by means of an active (i.e., burying the prod in the presence of bedding) or a passive (i.e., freezing when no bedding is available) form of avoidance responding.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Pinel, Treit and co-workers (26,31) reported that when suitable bedding material is available, rats have a strong innate tendency to bury a well-localized source of noxious stimulation, such as an electrified prod mounted on the wall of the chamber from which they have received electric shock. Burying of the electrified prod represents an active form of avoidance behavior (32,34,39). However, in an environment without bedding material, where the burying option is eliminated, rats have been reported to display a passive form of avoidance behavior, e.g., freezing in locations away from the prod (32).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plasma catecholamine and corticosterone levels during active and passive shock-prod avoidance behavior in rats: Effects of chlordiazepoxide

Boer

Slangen

Gugten

1990

Physiology & Behavior

135

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Plasma noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and corticosterone (CS) concentrations were determined in rats before, during and after 15-min exposure to a constantly electrified (2 mA) or nonelectrified prod which was mounted on the wall of the home cage either with or without bedding material on the floor. Concomitantly, exploration of the prod, freezing and prod-burying behavior were recorded. Both in the presence and absence of bedding material, rats explored the nonelectrified prod and showed a small increase in plasma NA and CS contents. Exploration of the prod was strongly reduced when the prod was electrified. In the presence of bedding material, shocked rats typically displayed burying behavior (active avoidance), whereas in the absence of bedding (i.e., burying option eliminated) shocked rats engaged in freezing behavior (passive avoidance). The passive avoidance situation was accompanied by larger A and CS increases but a lower NA rise as compared to the hormonal responses associated with the active avoidance situation. Administration of the anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide (CDP; 9 mg/kg intragastrically) attenuated the shock-induced suppression of prod exploration, decreased prod-burying behavior but, paradoxically, increased freezing behavior. Irrespective of bedding condition, the prod shock-induced elevations in plasma CS and A contents were completely abolished in CDP-treated rats. The rise in plasma NA was attenuated only in CDP-treated rats tested on a bedding-floor. The results indicate that passive (e.g., freezing) and active (e.g., burying) behavioral coping are each accompanied by specific and dissociated patterns of neurosympathetic, adrenomedullary and adrenocortical outflow. CDP-treatment shifts an animal's behavioral coping style from an active to a passive form of avoidance responding, but abolishes the accompanying adrenocortical and adrenomedullary activation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma catecholamine and corticosterone levels during active and passive shock-prod avoidance behavior in rats: Effects of chlordiazepoxide

Boer

Slangen

Gugten

1990

Physiology & Behavior

135

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“…Moderate doses (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) of {j-CCE facilitated postshock COB more than did lower (0.1 mg/kg) or higher (5.0 mg/kg) doses. The 5-mg/kg dose of {j-CCE was probably too high to elicit COB, since the probability of COB is greater at moderate levels of fear (Tsuda, Ida, & Tanaka, 1988a). This finding is in agreement with previous studies in which {j-CCE was found to be aversive in doses from 200 /Lg/kg administered intravenously (i.v.)…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Anxiogenic effects of β-CCE as measured in two different conditioning paradigms

et al. 1989

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The behavioral effects of the benzodiazepine-receptor inverse agonist ethyl-/3-carboline-3carboxylate (/3-CCE) were evaluated in male Wistar rats using two different conditioning paradigms sensitive to aversively motivated responses. In the conditioned defensive burying (CDB) paradigm, rats were given a shock with a wire-wrapped prod mounted on one end-wall of a test chamber with bedding material on the floor. The time engaged in CDB (i.e., pushing and spraying the bedding material toward the prod with rapid movements of the forepaws) was subsequently measured. Acute administration of /3-CCE (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, or 5.0 mg/kg) for shocked rats significantly increased the duration of postshock CDB in a dose-dependent fashion, as compared with vehicle-treated rats. However, /3-CCE by itself did not affect the occurrence of spontaneous burying for control rats that were not exposed to the conditioning shock. In the place-conditioning paradigm, rats were given /3-CCE (0.1, 0.5,1.0, or 5.0 mg/kg) in association with one set of salient external-chamber stimuli and a vehicle was administered in association with a different set of stimuli on 3 alternate days. The time spent on each side of the two end-compartments was then measured. Treatment with 5.0 mg/kg /3-CCE, but not with the other doses, resulted in a significant conditioned place aversion for the drug-associated side, as compared with the vehicle-treated rats. These results provide further support for the hypothesis that /3-CCE potentiates conditioned behavioral effects characterized as "fear" or "anxiety."Recent evidence has shown that benzodiazepinereceptor inverse agonists, including ethyl-.8-carboline-3-carboxylate (f3-CCE), metbyl-.8-carboline-3-carboxylate (f3-CCM), and N-metbyl-.8-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG-7142), produce behavioral and physiological effects that are similar to those observed during stressful or anxietyrelated conditions (see Braestrup & Nielsen, 1986; Pellow & File, 1984, for reviews). Administration of .8-CCE or .8-CCM to rats caused a reduction in social interaction (File, Lister, & Nutt, 1982) and exploratory activity in an elevated plus-maze (Pellow & File, 1986), and facilitated preference for a dark chamber in mice (Belzung, Misslin, Vogel, Dodd, & Chapouthier, 1987). These fmdings reflect the rodent's natural fearful (or anxious) tendency to avoid bright and unfamiliar surroundings. Other studies have found that several .8-carboline derivatives activated the cardiovascular system in primates (Crawley et al., 1985), the hypothalamic-pituitary -adrenocortical axis in rats (Pellow & File, 1985), and the mesofrontal dopaminergic system in rats (Claustre, Rivy, Dennis, & Scatton, 1986;Tam & Roth, 1985) in a manner similar to that produced by aversive events.

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“…The effectiveness of inescapable shock (Williams, 1987a(Williams, , 1987b, conspecific stress odors (Williams, 1987b), or septal lesions (Gray et aI., 1981) in suppressing defensive burying also suggests a similar conclusion. Furthermore, Wistar albino rats have been shown to freeze more (implying higher fear levels) and to defensively bury less than do hooded rats (Tsuda, Ida, & Tanaka, 1988a). These data are consistent in suggesting that fear may effectively inhibit defensive burying.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%