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Are mice a bad model for successive negative contrast?
1Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University - San Antonio, One University Way, San Antonio, TX, 78221, USA. Alan.Daniel@tamusa.edu.
Learning & Behavior
|October 7, 2025
Summary
Successive negative contrast (SNC) in mice is not reliably replicated. Current evidence suggests mice may be less suitable than rats for studying frustration neurobiology.
Area of Science:
- Affective neuroscience
- Animal behavior models
Background:
- Successive negative contrast (SNC) is a behavioral paradigm used to study the neurobiology of frustration and loss.
- SNC procedures in rats are well-established, providing insights into affective neuroscience.
- Mice offer advanced neuroscience tools (optogenetics, transgenics) but have limited SNC research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review existing literature on SNC in mice.
- To attempt replication of SNC in mice using established rat protocols.
- To evaluate the suitability of mice as a model for studying frustration.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of SNC studies in mice.
- Replication attempt of SNC in mice using standard rat procedures.
Main Results:
- Limited published evidence exists for SNC effects in mice.
- Replication attempts using common rat SNC protocols failed to demonstrate the effect in mice.
- Inconsistent findings in the available mouse SNC literature.
Conclusions:
- Mice may not be an optimal model for studying the neurobiology of frustration compared to rats.
- Further research is needed to establish reliable SNC procedures in mice, if possible.
- The established rat model remains superior for SNC-based frustration research.
