Avoidance learning in autoimmune mice

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 887; no. 2; pp. 484 - 487
• Main Authors: Baloght, S.A., Waters, N.S., Hyde, L.A., McDowell, C.S., Casler, C.M., Denenberg, V.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 29.12.2000; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Animals; Autoimmune Diseases - genetics; Autoimmune Diseases - psychology; Autoimmunity; Avoidance Learning; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; BXSB; DBA; Disease Models, Animal; Electroshock; Escape Reaction; Female; Footshock; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Inbred mice; Lupus; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - genetics; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - psychology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred DBA; Mice, Mutant Strains; Miscellaneous; NZB; Passive learning; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reaction Time; Shuttlebox; Autoimmunity; Lupus; Footshock; DBA; Inbred mice; BW; NZB; BXSB; Neural basis of behavior; Shuttlebox; Passive learning; Learning; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Acquisition process; Mouse; Animal; Rodentia; Avoidance
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(00)03064-X

Previous studies have shown that autoimmune mice perform very poorly on active avoidance learning tasks. In the current studies, mice with lupus-like systemic autoimmunity were able to learn active, as well as passive, avoidance protocols with shock as reinforcement. Therefore, the behavioral deficits seen in active avoidance tasks are not a consequence of the use of electric shock. Rather, the current findings suggest that the inability of autoimmune mice to learn shock motivated responding is due to multiple performance factors, including shock level and properties of the testing apparatus.