Effects of response-independent stimuli on fixed-interval and fixed-ratio performance of rats: a model for stressful disruption of cyclical eating patterns.
Binge eating is often associated with stress-induced disruption of typical eating patterns. Three experiments were performed with the aim of developing a potential model for this effect by investigating the effect of presenting response-independent stimuli on rats' lever-pressing for food reinforcement during both fixed-interval (FI) and fixed-ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement. In Experiment 1, a response-independent brief tone (500-ms, 105-dB, broadband, noisy signal, ranging up to 16 kHz, with spectral peaks at 3 and 500 Hz) disrupted the performance on an FI 60-s schedule. Responding with the response-independent tone was more vigorous than in the absence of the tone. This effect was replicated in Experiment 2 using a within-subject design, but no such effect was noted when a light was employed as a disrupter. In Experiment 3, a 500-ms tone, but not a light, had a similar effect on rats' performance on FR schedules. This tone-induced effect may represent a release from response-inhibition produced by an aversive event. The implications of these results for modeling binge eating are discussed.
Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK. p.reed@swan.ac.uk
Phil
P
Reed
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule
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