Video-based data acquisition system for use in eye blink classical conditioning procedures in sheep

Nation, Kelsey; Birge, Adam; Lunde, Emily; Cudd, Timothy A.; Goodlett, Charles R.; Washburn, Shannon E.

doi:10.3758/s13428-016-0826-x

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…Blinks that occur to CS onset are classified as alpha responses, which are considered to be nonassociative startle responses to the CS and not CRs (e.g. Gerwig et al, 2005 ; Nation et al, 2017 ; Schreurs and Alkon, 1990 , Woodruff-Pak et al, 1996 ). Typically, in eyeblink studies alpha responses are excluded from analysis by omitting any responses that occur at the beginning of the CS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditional and unconditional components of aversively motivated freezing, flight and darting in mice

Fanselow

Hoffman

Zhuravka

et al. 2022

eLife

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Fear conditioning is one of the most frequently used laboratory procedures for modeling learning and memory generally, and anxiety disorders in particular. The conditional response (CR) used in the majority of fear conditioning studies in rodents is freezing. Recently, it has been reported that under certain conditions, running, jumping or darting replaces freezing as the dominant CR. These findings raise both a critical methodological problem and an important theoretical issue. If only freezing is measured but rodents express their learning with a different response, then significant instances of learning, memory, or fear may be missed. In terms of theory, whatever conditions lead to these different behaviors may be a key to how animals transition between different defensive responses and different emotional states. In mice, we replicated these past results but along with several novel control conditions. Contrary to the prior conclusions, running and darting were primarily a result of nonassociative processes and were actually suppressed by associative learning. Darting and flight were taken to be analogous to nonassociative startle or alpha responses that are potentiated by fear. Additionally, associative processes had some impact on the topography of flight behavior. On the other hand, freezing was the purest reflection of associative learning. We also uncovered a rule that describes when these movements replace freezing: When afraid, freeze until there is a sudden novel change in stimulation, then burst into vigorous flight attempts. This rule may also govern the change from fear to panic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditional and unconditional components of aversively motivated freezing, flight and darting in mice

Fanselow

Hoffman

Zhuravka

et al. 2022

eLife

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Alpha responses have been most studied with the Pavlovian conditional eyeblink response, where the true CR is welltimed to US delivery (McCormick & Thompson, 1984, Perrett et al,1993. Blinks that occur to CS onset are classified as alpha responses, which are considered to be nonassociative startle responses to the CS and not CRs (e.g., Gerwig et al, 2005;Nation et al, 2017;Schreurs andAlkon, 1990, Woodruff-Pak et al, 1996). Typically, in eyeblink studies alpha responses are excluded from analysis by omitting any responses that occur at the beginning of the CS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditional Freezing, Flight and Darting?

Fanselow¹,

Hoffman²,

Zhuravka³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Fear conditioning is one of the most frequently used laboratory procedures for modeling learning and memory generally, and anxiety disorders in particular. The conditional response (CR) used in the majority of fear conditioning studies in rodents is freezing. Recently, it has been reported that under certain conditions, running, jumping or darting replaces freezing as the dominant CR. These findings raise both a critical methodological problem and an important theoretical issue. If only freezing is measured but rodents express their learning with a different response, then significant instances of learning, memory, or fear may be missed. In terms of theory, whatever conditions lead to these different behaviors may be a key to how animals transition between different defensive responses and different emotional states. We replicated these past results but along with several novel control conditions. Contrary to the prior conclusions, running and darting were entirely a result of nonassociative processes and were actually suppressed by associative learning. Darting and flight were taken to be analogous to nonassociative startle or alpha responses that are potentiated by fear. On the other hand, freezing was the purest reflection of associative learning. We also uncovered a rule that describes when these movements replace freezing: When afraid, freeze until there is a sudden novel change in stimulation, then burst into vigorous flight attempts. This rule may also govern the change from fear to panic.

show abstract

“…Although this is a non-invasive procedure, the technical requirements for conducting these experiments in less compliant populations (e.g., infants) is challenging. Physically attaching the head-mount to the eye is possible for animal experiments, such as conditioning experiments in sheep 12,13 . Older children may tolerate wearing a headband with an attached air-puff delivery unit 6,7,8 and can be encouraged to maintain a constant eye position using television as a distraction.…”

Section: Modifications and Troubleshootingmentioning

confidence: 99%