Food and water deprivation modulating function on activation and direction of behavior in Wistar rats

Abstract

The effects of food or water deprivation on the consumption of those commodities has been extensively reported in the literature. The effect of the interaction of those deprivation conditions on food and water consumption and on the temporal organization and dynamics of behavior is less known. In this study, we evaluated the effects of different conditions of food and water deprivation on the spatio-temporal dynamics of behavior when food and water are concurrently available. Six rats were exposed to four different conditions: a) food deprivation, b) water deprivation, c) food and water deprivation and d) no deprivation. Experimental sessions consisted of simultaneously presenting a food pellet and a drop of water using a Concurrent Fixed Time 30 s schedule on two dispensers located on opposite walls of an extended experimental chamber. Local (number of drops of water and pellets consumed, head entries to dispensers) and translational (location, displacement routes) patterns were recorded. We found differential effects of the deprivation conditions on the aforementioned measures with no equivalent behavioral dynamics under food and water deprivation. The results are discussed in terms of the modulating function of deprivation conditions on measures of vigor and direction of behavior.activation; behavior dynamics; directionality, food deprivation; motivation; water deprivation.

Beyond single discrete responses: An integrative and multidimensional analysis of behavioral dynamics assisted by Machine Learning

“…The dipper allowed access to 0.1cc of water for 3s, while the pellet dispenser delivered a 45 mg. pellet with limited availability of 3 s. Entries to both dispensers were detected by Head Entry Detectors (MED ENV-254-CB). In addition, above both dispensers, a yellow light was used as a visual stimulus (MED ENV-222M) to indicate food or water delivery (for a diagram of the apparatus, see Hernández, León, and Quintero, 2021).…”

Beyond Single Discrete Responses: An Integrative and Multidimensional Analysis of Behavioral Dynamics Assisted by Machine Learning

“…Under the CEAB approach, we present two examples using a subset of data sets from our laboratory (León et al, 2020a ; Hernández et al, 2021 ) related to relevant behavioral phenomena: (a) water-seeking behavior under temporal schedules and (b) motivational effects of water and food deprivation . These phenomena have well-documented dynamics of discrete responses but scarce findings concerning spatial dynamics and even less integrative analysis between discrete responses and spatial behavior patterns.…”

“…There is a vast corpus of research with both kinds of schedules with several species and apparatus (Zuriff, 1970 ; Lachter et al, 1971 ; Boren et al, 1978 ; León et al, 2020a ; Hernández et al, 2021 ). Most of this research is based on the recording and data analysis of a single discrete response, especially with “appetitive” stimulation.…”

“…The dipper allowed access to 0.1 cc of water for 3 s, and the pellet dispenser delivered a 45-mg pellet with limited availability of 3 s. Entries to both dispensers were detected by head entry detectors (MED ENV-254-CB). In addition, above both dispensers, a yellow light was used as a visual stimulus (MED ENV-222M) to indicate food or water delivery (for a diagram of the apparatus, see Hernández et al, 2021 ).…”

“…After an initial training phase to the food and water dispenser (see Hernández et al ( 2021 ) for a complete description), subjects were exposed to two deprivation conditions: (1) water deprivation (WD) and (2) food deprivation (FD). Each deprivation consisted of 3 days with the corresponding food or water restriction and one experimental session per day.…”