title: Effects of pharmacological manipulations of NMDA-receptors on deliberation in the Multiple-T task.
abstract: Both humans and non-human animals have the ability to navigate and make decisions within complex environments. This ability is largely dependent upon learning and memory processes, many of which are known to depend on NMDA-sensitive receptors. When humans come to difficult decisions they often pause to deliberate over their choices. Similarly, rats pause at difficult choice points. This behavior, known as vicarious trial and error (VTE), is hippocampally dependent and entails neurophysiological representations of expectations of future outcomes in hippocampus and downstream structures. In order to determine the dependence of VTE behaviors on NMDA-sensitive receptors, we tested rats on a Multiple-T choice task with a reward-delivery reversal known to elicit VTE. Rats under the influence of NMDA-receptor antagonists (CPP) showed a significant reduction in VTE, particularly at the reward reversal, implying a role for NMDA-sensitive receptors in the generation of vicarious trial and error behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Drew University, USA. ABlumenthal@NKI.RFMH.ORG
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seeland
authors.forename: A David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Redish
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003523:Cycloserine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D010879:Piperazines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D003523:Cycloserine; C050592:3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid