Effects of SKF-83566 and haloperidol on performance on progressive ratio schedules maintained by sucrose and corn oil reinforcement: quantitative analysis using a new model derived from the Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement (MPR)

Abstract

RationaleMathematical models can assist the interpretation of the effects of interventions on schedule-controlled behaviour and help to differentiate between processes that may be confounded in traditional performance measures such as response rate and the breakpoint in progressive ratio (PR) schedules.ObjectiveThe effects of a D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist, 8-bromo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepin-7-ol hydrobromide (SKF-83566), and a D2-like receptor antagonist, haloperidol, on rats’ performance on PR schedules maintained by sucrose and corn oil reinforcers were assessed using a new model derived from Killeen’s (Behav Brain Sci 17:105–172, 1994) Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement.MethodSeparate groups of rats were trained under a PR schedule using sucrose or corn oil reinforcers. SKF-83566 (0.015 and 0.03 mg kg−1) and haloperidol (0.05 and 0.1 mg kg−1) were administered intraperitoneally (five administrations of each treatment). Running and overall response rates in successive ratios were analysed using the new model, and estimates of the model’s parameters were compared between treatments.ResultsHaloperidol reduced a (the parameter expressing incentive value) in the case of both reinforcers, but did not affect the parameters related to response time and post-reinforcement pausing. SKF-83566 reduced a and k (the parameter expressing sensitivity of post-reinforcement pausing to the prior inter-reinforcement interval) in the case of sucrose, but did not affect any of the parameters in the case of corn oil.ConclusionsThe results are consistent with the hypothesis that blockade of both D1-like and D2-like receptors reduces the incentive value of sucrose, whereas the incentive value of corn oil is more sensitive to blockade of D2-like than D1-like receptors.

Gastric bypass in rats does not decrease appetitive behavior towards sweet or fatty fluids despite blunting preferential intake of sugar and fat

“…In Experiment 2, we validated our PR task by showing that the breakpoint could be increased (i.e., from approximately 35 to 60) by conditions classically considered motivators of appetitive behavior – e.g., food-deprivation. While higher breakpoints and/or mean cumulative responses have been observed in other studies [e.g., 31 , 36 , 37 ] the ones reported in the present study are still consistent with other reports [e.g., 30 , 38 ]. While it was somewhat surprising that breakpoints for Ensure decreased from presurgical to postsurgical conditions in the SHAM rats from both diet groups, this could potentially be attributed to the long span of time between test phases (at least 3 weeks) and that postsurgical testing was not immediately preceded by training.…”

Activation of Ventral Tegmental Area 5-HT2C Receptors Reduces Incentive Motivation

“…Given that 5-HT 2C Rs are also expressed in the VTA (Bubar and Cunningham, 2007; Bubar et al , 2011), a brain region associated with food and drug reward (DiLeone et al 2012), we investigated lorcaserin’s effects on a PR schedule using a mathematical model (Bradshaw and Killeen, 2012) derived from Killeen’s Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement (MPR, Killeen 1994). In agreement with previous reports in rats (Bezzina et al , 2015; Bradshaw and Killeen, 2012; Olarte-Sanchez et al , 2013, 2015; Valencia-Torres et al , 2014) our results indicate that operant behavior maintained by PR schedules is well described by the mathematical model in mice (Bradshaw and Killeen, 2012). Progressive ratio schedules are widely used to assess the effects of neuropharmacological interventions on motivation.…”

Quantitative analysis of performance on a progressive-ratio schedule: effects of reinforcer type, food deprivation and acute treatment with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

“…Consistent with the notion that a is an index of incentive value, it has been found that this parameter is monotonically related to the volume of a sucrose-solution reinforcer ( Rickard et al, 2009 : data re-analysed by Bradshaw and Killeen, 2012 ). Recently, Olarte-Sánchez et al (2013) compared the values of a for corn oil and sucrose reinforcers; their findings were consistent with extant evidence that sucrose is less efficacious than corn oil on a volume-for-volume basis, but more efficacious on a calorie-for-calorie basis ( Naleid et al, 2008 ). Valencia-Torres et al (2014) found that diabetes induced by systemic treatment with streptozotocin was associated with a reduction of a , consistent with an antihedonic effect of this treatment ( Nefs et al, 2012 ).…”