The continuous performance test (rCPT) for mice: a novel operant touchscreen test of attentional function

Kim, Chi Hun; Hvoslef-Eide, Martha; Nilsson, Simon; Johnson, Mark R.; Herbert, Bronwen R.; Robbins, Trevor W.; Saksida, Lisa M.; Bussey, Timothy J.; Mar, Adam

doi:10.1007/s00213-015-4081-0

Cited by 74 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Given that mice can learn this version of SAT, it is likely that they could also learn a touchscreen version. In fact, touchscreen versions of 5-CSRTT task and rCPT have been developed for mice, indicating that mice can acquire touchscreen attention tasks (Kim et al, 2015; Romberg et al, 2011). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The touchscreen can be easily programmed for different tasks, and cues and levers are not permanently configured for one specific procedure. Other attention tasks, such as the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) and the continuous performance task (rCPT), which measure sustained and selective attention (Armstrong, 1997; Kremen et al, 1992; Robbins, 2002), have been modified for use in these chambers (Bartko et al, 2011; Kim et al, 2015). In this methods paper, we explain how to adapt SAT to touchscreen operant chambers for rats.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Method for testing sustained attention in touchscreen operant chambers in rats

Wicks

Waxler

White

et al. 2017

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

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Background Sustained attention, the ability to detect rare and unpredictable events, is central to cognitive performance. This construct can be tested in rodents using a Sustained Attention Task (SAT), where rats are trained to detect an unpredictably occurring signal (a brief light presentation) from non-signal events. The traditional version of this task utilizes an operant chamber with a central panel light for the signal and two retractable response levers. Adaptation of SAT to the increasingly popular touchscreen operant chambers, which do not have levers or fixed lights, could enhance the versatility of the task. New method Here we developed a touchscreen version of SAT where the light signal is presented in the center of the touchscreen, followed by a tone to indicate the beginning of the response period. Rats indicate their choice during this period by touching their nose to one of two touchscreen response areas. The remaining parameters were kept similar to the traditional version Results Rats acquired touchscreen SAT at a similar rate to the traditional version. As with the traditional version, shorter stimulus durations on the signaled trials reduced accuracy and the presence of a distractor (a flashing houselight) disrupted performance on the touchscreen version. Comparison to existing method Collectively, these data suggest that the touchscreen version is comparable to the traditional version of the SAT, and is an equally valid way of measuring sustained attention. Conclusions Many researchers with touchscreen chambers could easily implement our modifications in order to study sustained attention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Method for testing sustained attention in touchscreen operant chambers in rats

Wicks

Waxler

White

et al. 2017

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

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“…odour); this assesses rule learning and discrimination [24]. Rodent touchscreen technology, in which rodents need to respond to 'target' visual pattern stimuli and to withhold responses to 'non-target' stimuli, permits assessment of perceptual discrimination, object-place associative learning, attention, impulsivity, compulsivity, extinction and other domains [26,27].…”

Section: Schizophrenia-relevant Behaviour In Rodentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Schizophrenia and drug addiction comorbidity: recent advances in our understanding of behavioural susceptibility and neural mechanisms

Menne

Chesworth

2020

Neuroanatomy and Behaviour

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Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder which is worsened substantially by substance abuse/addiction. Substance abuse affects nearly 50% of individuals with schizophrenia, extends across several drug classes (e.g. nicotine, cannabinoids, ethanol, psychostimulants) and worsens overall functioning of patients. Prominent theories explaining schizophrenia and addiction comorbidity include the primary addiction hypothesis (i.e. schizophrenia susceptibility primes drug reward circuits, increasing drug addiction risk following drug exposure), the two-hit hypothesis (i.e. drug abuse and other genetic and/or environmental risk factors contribute to schizophrenia development) and the self-medication hypothesis (i.e. drug use alleviates schizophrenia symptoms). Animal models can be used to evaluate the utility and validity of these theories. Since this literature was last reviewed by Ng and colleagues in 2013 [Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 37(5)], significant advances have been made to our understanding of schizophrenia and substance abuse comorbidity. Here we review advances in the field since 2013, focussing on two key questions: 1) Does schizophrenia susceptibility increase susceptibility to drug addiction (assessing the primary addiction hypothesis), and 2) Do abused drugs exacerbate or ameliorate schizophrenia symptoms (assessing the two-hit hypothesis and the self-medication hypothesis). We addressed these questions using data from several schizophrenia preclinical models (e.g. genetic, lesion, neurodevelopmental, pharmacological) across drug classes (e.g. nicotine, cannabinoids, ethanol, psychostimulants). We conclude that addiction-like behaviour is present in several preclinical schizophrenia models, and drugs of abuse can exacerbate but also ameliorate schizophrenia-relevant behaviours. These behavioural changes are associated with altered receptor system function (e.g. dopaminergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic) critically implicated in schizophrenia and addiction pathology.

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“…The 5CSRTT, 5C-CPT and SAT were recommended by CNTRICS for further development . To date, results from the touchscreen CPT have only been reported in a single study in mice (Kim et al, 2015) and although further studies in rats were indicated in a review , they have not yet been published. This task may be a promising new avenue for research in the future, however the lack of data limit comparisons being made with the other more widely used tasks at this point in time.…”

Section: Rodent Tasks 151 Current Tasksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The closest equivalent tasks to human CPT testing in rodents are the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT), the 5-choice continuous performance task (5C-CPT), the sustained attention task (SAT) and more recently the touchscreen CPT task (McGaughy and Sarter, 1995a;Bari et al, 2008;Young et al, 2009b;Kim et al, 2015). The 5CSRTT, 5C-CPT and SAT were recommended by CNTRICS for further development .…”

Section: Rodent Tasks 151 Current Tasksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishing a novel cognitive task in rats of relevance to schizophrenia

Turner¹

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The most debilitating symptoms for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, are often cognitive deficits; yet they remain largely untreated by current medications. In preclinical animal models, the techniques used to measure cognitive deficits need to be improved to enhance our ability to screen novel drug targets and gain a better understanding of the neurobiological correlates of cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to develop and test a new high throughput cognitive task in rodents. I have designed a novel Signal Detection Task (SDT) for this purpose.The first aim in developing the SDT was to compare alternative tasks (such as the 5-choice serial reaction time task) and address limitations including the extensive training time required and the lack of control over body position during stimulus presentation.Experiments were then selected to assess the face, construct and predictive validity of the SDT for measuring attentional deficits relevant to schizophrenia. Specifically, I determined if the effects of genetic, environmental, neurobiological and pharmacological manipulations could be detected in rats using this task. The SDT was conducted in rat operant chambers with a series of task variants to probe different components of performance, such as increasing detection difficulty and distraction. Briefly, the studies conducted compared strains (genetics), housing conditions (environment), the impact of a prefrontal cortical lesion (neurobiology) and the effects of amphetamine (pharmacology) on task performance. My findings indicate a relatively short training period was required for rats to perform the SDT with a high level of accuracy compared to other tasks; task acquisition was shown to be dependent on interactions between genetics and environment; prefrontal cortical lesions did not alter baseline performance but impaired attention during distraction and low dose amphetamine significantly improved accuracy. I demonstrated for the first time that the procognitive effects of amphetamine were dependent on baseline attentional performance. In addition, I found that individual variation in baseline performance was related to dopamine metabolism in the striatum.The research outlined in this thesis presents a novel tool for researchers exploring the cognitive phenotype of animal models relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders and for exploring the neurobiology of attention, including mechanisms of action for procognitive medication.ii Declaration by authorThis thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis.

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The continuous performance test (rCPT) for mice: a novel operant touchscreen test of attentional function

Cited by 74 publications

References 74 publications

Method for testing sustained attention in touchscreen operant chambers in rats

Method for testing sustained attention in touchscreen operant chambers in rats

Schizophrenia and drug addiction comorbidity: recent advances in our understanding of behavioural susceptibility and neural mechanisms

Establishing a novel cognitive task in rats of relevance to schizophrenia

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