Rat (Rattus norvegicus) defensive behavior in total darkness: Risk-assessment function of defensive burying.

Pinel, John P. J.; Mumby, Dave G.; Dastur, Farhad N.; Pinel, Jean-Pierre

doi:10.1037/0735-7036.108.2.140

Cited by 27 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These actions, and also a specific “stretched attend” posture involving a lowering of the body and locomotion interspersed with periods of immobility during later forays onto the surface, were given the label “risk assessment activities” as they were hypothesized to represent attempts to determine if a threat was present, and to localize and possibly identify it, while remaining as safe as possible. Other activities, such as burying [56] or tossing substrate at [57] novel or ambiguously threatening stimuli have been included under this functional grouping, in that these appear to represent attempts to determine if this stimulus is alive, thus responsive to being buried or hit. An additional defensive behavior noted in the initial VBS study was behavioral inhibition, involving suppression or reduction of normal activities such as eating, drinking, sexual activity or aggression.…”

Section: Visible Burrow Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuance and behavioral cogency: How the Visible Burrow System inspired the Stress-Alternatives Model and conceptualization of the continuum of anxiety

Robertson

Prince

Achua

et al. 2015

Physiology & Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

By creating the Visible Burrow System (VBS) Bob Blanchard found a way to study the interaction of genetics, physiology, environment, and adaptive significance in a model with broad validity. The VBS changed the way we think about anxiety and affective disorders by allowing the mechanisms which control them to be observed in a dynamic setting. Critically, Blanchard used the VBS and other models to show how behavioral systems like defense are dependent upon context and behavioral elements unique to the individual. Inspired by the VBS, we developed a Stress Alternatives Model (SAM) to further explore the multifaceted dynamics of the stress response with a dichotomous choice condition. Like the VBS, the SAM is a naturalistic model built upon risk-assessment and defensive behavior, but with a choice of response: escape or submission to a large conspecific aggressor. The anxiety of novelty during the first escape must be weighed against fear of the aggressor, and a decision must be made. Both outcomes are adaptively significant, evidenced by a 50/50 split in outcome across several study systems. By manipulating the variables of the SAM, we show that a gradient of anxiety exists that spans the contextual settings of escaping an open field, escaping from aggression, and submitting to aggression. These findings correspond with increasing levels of corticosterone and increasing levels of NPS and BDNF in the central amygdala as the context changes. Whereas some anxiolytics were able to reduce the latency to escape for some animals, only with the potent anxiolytic drug antalarmin (CRF1R-blocker) and the anxiogenic drug yohimbine (α2 antagonist) were we able to reverse the outcome for a substantial proportion of individuals. Our findings promote a novel method for modeling anxiety, offering a distinction between low-and-high levels, and accounting for individual variability. The translational value of the VBS is immeasurable, and it guided us and many other researchers to seek potential clinical solutions through a deeper understanding of regional neurochemistry and gene expression in concert with an ecological behavioral model.

show abstract

Section: Visible Burrow Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuance and behavioral cogency: How the Visible Burrow System inspired the Stress-Alternatives Model and conceptualization of the continuum of anxiety

Robertson

Prince

Achua

et al. 2015

Physiology & Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In these situations, rats will leave the nesting area using a stretched approach behavior. It has been speculated that the stretch approach posture may provide an opportunity for information gathering and risk assessment (Pinel et al 1994). The innate tests of anxiety described above (light-dark box, open field, elevated plus maze) are easily integrated into the pre-encounter-defensive phase as they all relate to exploration in a potentially dangerous environment.…”

Section: Predatory Imminence Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurobehavioral perspectives on the distinction between fear and anxiety

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this review, we discuss the usefulness of the distinction between fear and anxiety. The clinical use of the labels is ambiguous, often defining one in terms of the other. We first consider what a useful, objective, and scientifically valid definition would entail and then evaluate several fear/anxiety distinctions that have been made in the neurobiological literature. A strong distinction should specify the difference in conditions that lead to fear versus anxiety. Additionally, fear and anxiety should generate distinct sets of behaviors. Ideally, the two states should be supported by distinguishable neuroanatomical circuits. Such a conceptualization would be consistent with the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria (RDoc). The majority of neurobiological approaches to the fear versus anxiety distinction fail to differentiate the two states in terms of behavior, often using the exact same behavioral measures as indicators. Of the two that do, only Predatory Imminence Theory provides a distinction both in terms of cause and effect. Indeed, that approach provides a ready distinction of anxiety, fear, and panic in terms of both antecedent conditions and response selection rules. Additionally, it appeals to distinct neural circuits to generate these modes of action.Clear definitional distinctions between fear and anxiety have been elusive. There is also ambiguity in relating clinical classifications to preclinical laboratory models. The intention of this review is to describe and evaluate several neurobehavioral approaches to the distinction between fear and anxiety. A clear, research-based definition of fear and anxiety should help clarify the natural function of these brain states and point to how their dysfunction manifests as particular anxiety disorders. This relationship is becoming increasingly important with the National Institute of Mental Health's adoption of Research Domain Criteria (RDoc), which specifically attempts to link preclinical research with clinical phenomenology. The purpose of the RDoc systems is to ". . .to translate rapid progress in basic neurobiological and behavioral research to an improved integrative understanding of psychopathology and the development of new and/or optimally matched treatments for mental disorders" (National Institute of Mental Health 2013).To accomplish this goal, we will first consider the characteristics of a good definitional distinction between fear and anxiety. Then, after briefly reviewing the circuitry responsible for fear and anxiety, we will evaluate several neurobehavioral models with respect to those characteristics. Parsing the strengths and weaknesses of these models as well as analyzing the mechanisms and circuitry that underlie fear learning may point toward a better understanding of the fear/anxiety distinction. It should also help forge a clearer relationship between these models and specific anxiety disorders. We also clarify the relationship of the RDoc criteria to these animal models.

show abstract

“…It has long been suggested that defensive responses are more efficiently learned when they are consistent with the natural repertoire of the animal [4]. Burrowing is a commonly observed defensive behavior in Rattus norvegicus [3, 20, 33, 35]. It was thus expected that entering a short tunnel would be an effective escape/avoidance response to light.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Brief light as a practical aversive stimulus for the albino rat

Barker

Sanabria

Lasswell

et al. 2010

Behavioural Brain Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bright light was an effective aversive stimulus for Wistar rats in punishment, escape, and avoidance paradigms. Contingent punishment of lever-pressing maintained by concurrent schedules of food delivery shifted presses to an alternate lever, and depressed overall response rates. Periodic non-contingent presentation of the light prompted escape responding (head entry into a hole). Unsignaled avoidance contingencies were not effective, but pre-pulse signaling of light supported avoidance behavior. These results demonstrate a possible alternative to foot-shock, one with greater ecological validity, and one that might avoid some of the physiological effects that accompany electric shock. KeywordsAvoidance; Escape; Punishment; Burrow; Light Aversion; Rat Electric footshock has served as the prototypical aversive stimulus in experimental preparations using rats [34,30]. Footshock is popular for its reliability, utility at a wide range of current, and the feasibility of titrating shock levels for individual subjects. But electric shock has its downsides: It often induces secondary effects such as long term sleep disruption [41], altered social behavior [27], reduction in locomotion, rearing, and grooming behaviors, as well as an increase in immobility and defecation [45]. Footshock has also received criticism when used to model conditions such as depression or anxiety disorder that are produced by stressors that lack a comparable component of pain [28]. Finally, the nature

show abstract

Rat (Rattus norvegicus) defensive behavior in total darkness: Risk-assessment function of defensive burying.

Cited by 27 publications

References 22 publications

Nuance and behavioral cogency: How the Visible Burrow System inspired the Stress-Alternatives Model and conceptualization of the continuum of anxiety

Nuance and behavioral cogency: How the Visible Burrow System inspired the Stress-Alternatives Model and conceptualization of the continuum of anxiety

Neurobehavioral perspectives on the distinction between fear and anxiety

Brief light as a practical aversive stimulus for the albino rat

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About