Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
07:26
Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
Published on: May 4, 2020
Behavioral control, aversive stimulus frequency, and pituitary-adrenal response
Behavioral Neuroscience
|December 1, 1984
Summary
Rats trained on a shock-postponement schedule showed reduced shock rates with longer intervals. While corticosteroid levels increased during experiments, they varied based on control versus avoidance, suggesting arousal differences.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Psychopharmacology
Background:
- Stress and arousal are modulated by the anticipation and control of aversive stimuli.
- Understanding the physiological correlates of these psychological factors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between shock-postponement intervals, operant responding, and corticosteroid levels in rats.
- To examine the impact of perceived control over aversive events on physiological arousal.
Main Methods:
- Six female rats were trained on a free operant shock-postponement schedule with varying intervals (5-80 s).
- Yoked control rats received shocks paired with the subject's lever presses.
- Corticosteroid levels were measured pre-training, pre-session, and post-session.
Main Results:
- Response and shock rates decreased as the shock-postponement interval increased.
- Corticosteroid levels were elevated during experimental sessions compared to basal levels, irrespective of the interval.
- Avoidance subjects showed higher initial corticosteroid levels that decreased by session end, while yoked controls showed the opposite pattern.
Conclusions:
- Operant control over shock postponement influences physiological arousal patterns.
- Anticipation of aversive events and the ability to control them impact corticosteroid levels differently.
- Findings contribute to understanding the interplay between cognitive factors and stress responses.
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