title: Avoidance learning in autoimmune mice.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that autoimmune mice perform very poorly on active avoidance learning tasks. In the current studies, mice with lupus-like systemic autoimmunity were able to learn active, as well as passive, avoidance protocols with shock as reinforcement. Therefore, the behavioral deficits seen in active avoidance tasks are not a consequence of the use of electric shock. Rather, the current findings suggest that the inability of autoimmune mice to learn shock motivated responding is due to multiple performance factors, including shock level and properties of the testing apparatus.
authors.affiliation: Biobehavioral Sciences Graduate Degree Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4154, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hyde
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Casler
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Denenberg
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Baloght
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004597:Electroshock; D004924:Escape Reaction; D005260:Female; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011930:Reaction Time