Reward Schedules and Behavior Maintained by Intracranial Self-Stimulation

Sidman, Murray; Bray, J. V.; Boren, John J.; Conrad, Donald G.; Schulman, Allan H.

doi:10.1126/science.122.3174.830

Cited by 103 publications

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“…It was concluded (1) that brain-stimulation reinforcement strength cannot be assessed adequately by means of selfstimulation rate, and (2) the chaining technique employed in the present experiment appears promising as an analytical tool in brain-stimulation research. Finally, some aspects of the data suggested a fatigue or stimulation-adaptation phenomenon.It has been assumed that changes in the intensity of rewarding electrical stimulation of the brain alters behavioral reinforcement strength (Sidman, Brady, Boren, Conrad, and Schulman 1955). One of the earliest tests was to observe changes in self-stimulation rate on a continuously available response lever as a function of stimulation intensity.…”

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confidence: 99%

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BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹

Hawkins

Pliskoff

1964

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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Reinforcement strengths of different intensities of brain stimulation were assessed by means of a two-member behavioral chain. A variable interval schedule of 30 sec was the first-member, and five lever presses, each rewarded with stimulation, was the second. It was found that response rate on the VI schedule continued to increase beyond the intensity value which produced peak rate on the second-member, self-stimulation lever. It was concluded (1) that brain-stimulation reinforcement strength cannot be assessed adequately by means of selfstimulation rate, and (2) the chaining technique employed in the present experiment appears promising as an analytical tool in brain-stimulation research. Finally, some aspects of the data suggested a fatigue or stimulation-adaptation phenomenon.It has been assumed that changes in the intensity of rewarding electrical stimulation of the brain alters behavioral reinforcement strength (Sidman, Brady, Boren, Conrad, and Schulman 1955). One of the earliest tests was to observe changes in self-stimulation rate on a continuously available response lever as a function of stimulation intensity. (Throughout this report, "self-stimulation rate" refers to the procedure of determining response rate when each lever press is followed by electrical stimulation with the animal pacing its own responses.) In extensive studies of the problem (e.g., Reynolds, 1958), it has been found that self-stimulation rate increases with increases in intensity up to a point. Beyond a point for each animal, self-stimulation rate declines with further increases in intensity. The question remains as to whether the decline in self-stimulation rate at higher intensities reflects a decrease in reinforcement strength and/or the development of aversive properties. Possibly the decrease in self-stimulation rate at high intensities reflects neither of those events, but rather a slowing of the rate due to some other effect of stimulation, such as seizures or respondent interference with ongoing operants. Valenstein (1964) has discussed the problem in some detail. ' Skinner, 1957). A twomember behavioral chain, with self-stimulation in the second member, permits a comparison between self-stimulation rate and the characteristics of first-member performance. The first member of the behavioral chain employed in the present paper was a variable interval of 30 sec, and changes in VI response rate were compared with changes in self-stimulation rate as the intensity of brain stimulation was varied& METHOD Three male albino rats with chronically implanted, stainless steel electrodes aimed at the vicinity of the mammillary bodies of the posterior hypothalamus were adapted to the experimental situation and given preliminary training in a two-lever rat box. The final baseline chain performance was as follows. The left-hand lever was continuously available while the right-hand lever was retracted out of the box. Responding on the left-hand lever resulted in the insertion of the retracted lever on a variable interval schedule of 30 s...

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confidence: 99%

“…It has been assumed that changes in the intensity of rewarding electrical stimulation of the brain alters behavioral reinforcement strength (Sidman, Brady, Boren, Conrad, and Schulman 1955). One of the earliest tests was to observe changes in self-stimulation rate on a continuously available response lever as a function of stimulation intensity.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹

Hawkins

Pliskoff

1964

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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“…] there is an area in the basomedial forebrain at about the level where the islands of calleja are most pronounced where electrical stimulation has extremely great rewarding effects ' (1954: 426;Olds, 1956c: 511). Other scientists building on Olds & Milner's initial discovery took them to have 'demonstrated a rewarding effect produced by electric stimulation of some areas of the brain' (Sidman et al, 1955: 830; see also Olds, 1958), although a few were less assertive. Zeigler, encapsulating these latter two kinds of claims, cautioned that '[i]t has not yet been conclusively demonstrated that we are dealing with 'pleasure centers' or 'a system within the brain whose function it is to produce a rewarding effect upon behavior " (1957: 373).…”

Section: Identity Crisismentioning

confidence: 99%

HIT and brain reward function: A case of mistaken identity (theory)

Wright

Colombo

Beard

2017

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in

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a b s t r a c tThis paper employs a case study from the history of neurosciencedbrain reward functiondto scrutinize the inductive argument for the so-called 'Heuristic Identity Theory' (HIT). The case fails to support HIT, illustrating why other case studies previously thought to provide empirical support for HIT also fold under scrutiny. After distinguishing two different ways of understanding the types of identity claims presupposed by HIT and considering other conceptual problems, we conclude that HIT is not an alternative to the traditional identity theory so much as a relabeling of previously discussed strategies for mechanistic discovery.

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“…Brady was unmistakably one of the very best of the best. Among his scientific accomplishments were conducting one of the first studies of subcortical electrical brain self-stimulation (Sidman, Brady, Boren, & Conrad, 1955), examining the behavioral effects of drugs on operant behavior (Sidman et al, 1955), operant conditioning of autonomic function (Harris, Findley, & Brady, 1971;Harris, Gilliam, & Brady, 1974), and the famous ulcers in the ''executive monkeys'' study (Brady, Porter, Conrad, & Mason, 1958). He was also one of the first to clearly articulate the outlines of the field of behavioral pharmacology (Brady, 1958).…”

Section: Brady the Scientistmentioning

confidence: 99%

Joseph V. Brady: Synthesis reunites what analysis has divided

Thompson

2012

BEHAV ANALYST

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) created behavior-analytic neuroscience and the analytic framework for understanding how the external and internal neurobiological environments and mechanisms interact. Brady's approach offered synthesis as well as analysis. He embraced Findley's approach to constructing multioperant behavioral repertoires that found their way into designing environments for astronauts as well as studying drug effects on human social behavior in microenvironments. Brady created translational neurobehavioral science before such a concept existed. One of his most lasting contributions was developing a framework for ethical decision making to protect the rights of the people who participate in scientific research.

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Reward Schedules and Behavior Maintained by Intracranial Self-Stimulation

Cited by 103 publications

References 4 publications

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹

HIT and brain reward function: A case of mistaken identity (theory)

Joseph V. Brady: Synthesis reunites what analysis has divided

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Reward Schedules and Behavior Maintained by Intracranial Self-Stimulation

Cited by 103 publications

References 4 publications

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING1

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING1

HIT and brain reward function: A case of mistaken identity (theory)

Joseph V. Brady: Synthesis reunites what analysis has divided

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BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹

BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING¹