Growth of brain stimulation reward as a function of duration and stimulation strength.
The strength of a train of rewarding brain stimulation required to support a criterion level of operant performance declines hyperbolically as the duration is increased. This finding has been attributed to a process of leaky integration. However, the rate at which integration approaches asymptote has been shown to depend on stimulation strength, a finding that differs from the behavior of a simple leaky integrator. The authors replicate both findings and show that they are both well described by a new model that incorporates a hyperbolic strength-duration function, a logistic function mapping stimulation frequency onto reward intensity, and another logistic function mapping reward intensity onto performance.
Sonnenschein
Bonnie
B
Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada.
Conover
Kent
K
Shizgal
Peter
P
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012201:Reward