Evaluation of the development of delayed and non-delayed conditioned reinforcers in SHR rats

• Grant number: 16/07077-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2016
• End date: November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Experimental Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Leyser Gonçalves
• Grantee: Fábio Leyser Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder defined by symptoms related to hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and deficit on sustained attention. Recent etiological theories have emphasized the role of changes in sensitivity to reinforcement on the comprehension of the symptoms of ADHD. The Spontaneous Hypertensive lineage of rats (SHR) have been suggested as a valid animal model of ADHD. Several theoretical models suggest impairment on the development of conditioned reinforcers on ADHD individuals. The general aim of this project is to compare the differences on the development process of conditioned reinforcers in SHR and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. On Experiment 1, 8 SHR rats and 8 WKY rats will be submitted to a Multiple FI 2min-EXT 5min schedule of reinforcement with and without a response feedback light. On Experiment 2, 8 SHR and 8 WKY rats will be submitted to a conditioned reinforcement procedure with 0s and 30s delays between the stimulus (lights-off) and the reinforcer presentation (food pellet), in an ABA design. (AU)