Risk-Based Decision Making: A Systematic Scoping Review of Animal Models and a Pilot Study on the Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Rats

Abstract

Animals, including humans, frequently make decisions involving risk or uncertainty. Different strategies in these decisions can be advantageous depending the circumstances. Short sleep duration seems to be associated with more risky decisions in humans. Animal models for risk-based decision making can increase mechanistic understanding, but very little data is available concerning the effects of sleep. We combined primary- and meta-research to explore the relationship between sleep and risk-based decision making in animals. Our first objective was to create an overview of the available animal models for risky decision making. We performed a systematic scoping review. Our searches in Pubmed and Psychinfo retrieved 712 references, of which 235 were included. Animal models for risk-based decision making have been described for rodents, non-human primates, birds, pigs and honey-bees. We discuss task designs and model validity. Our second objective was to apply this knowledge and perform a pilot study on the effect of sleep deprivation. We trained and tested male Wistar rats on a probability discounting task; a “safe” lever always resulted in 1 reward, a “risky” lever resulted in 4 or no rewards. Rats adapted their preferences to variations in reward probabilities (p < 0.001), but 12 h of sleep deprivation during the light phase did not clearly alter risk preference (p = 0.21).

Effects of the psychoactive compounds in green tea on risky decision-making

“…All experiments here were performed during the dark cycle to enhance wakefulness; it is possible that repeating the current experiments during the light cycle or after sleep restriction would enhance caffeine’s effects on risk-taking. Notably, 12 h of sleep deprivation on rats does not affect probabilistic discounting (Leenaars et al ., 2021); thus, longer sleep restriction may be necessary to affect baseline risk-taking sufficiently to enable assessment of the restorative effects of caffeine or other psychostimulants.…”

The effects of epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine on risky decision-making

“…All experiments here were performed during the dark cycle to enhance wakefulness; it is possible that repeating the current experiments during the light cycle or after sleep restriction would enhance caffeine's effects on risk-taking. Notably, 12 hours of sleep deprivation on rats does not affect probabilistic discounting (Leenaars et al, 2021); thus, longer sleep restriction may be necessary to affect baseline risk-taking sufficiently to enable assessment of the restorative effects of caffeine or other psychostimulants.…”