Analysis of chronic caffeine effetc on performance in a differential reinforcement of low rate 72 seconds schedule

• Grant number: 23/14458-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Experimental Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Leyser Gonçalves
• Grantee: Matheus Garcia Grael
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Caffeine is, probably, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world. One of its behavioral effects is the development of impulsive behavior; more precisely, impulsive action. Impulsive action, also known as inhibition or motor impulsivity, refers to a dimension of impulsivity phenomenon defined by the incapacity to stop emitting a response or to interrupt a response that already started. The present study intends to evaluate the effect of chronic administration of caffeine on the development of impulsive actions in Wistar rats. For that, a differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL) schedule of reinforcement will be used to measure the occurrence of impulsive behaviors along chronic caffeine administration. DRL was considered appropriate to the experiment because it allows to measure the impulsive action phenom through the ratio between responses and reinforcements and the distribution of the interresponse time. The study also aims to evaluate the development of tolerance on the occurrence of impulsive actions during chronic administration and possible alterations on impulsive actions due to withdrawal of caffeine, as abstinence symptom.