Establishing a probabilistic reversal learning test in mice: Evidence for the processes mediating reward-stay and punishment-shift behaviour and for their modulation by serotonin

• Published in: Neuropharmacology Vol. 63; no. 6; pp. 1012 - 1021
• Main Authors: Ineichen, Christian, Sigrist, Hannes, Spinelli, Simona, Lesch, Klaus-Peter, Sautter, Eva, Seifritz, Erich, Pryce, Christopher R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - pharmacology; Citalopram - pharmacology; Conditioning, Operant - drug effects; Depression; Depression - psychology; Escitalopram; Expectancy/prediction; Female; Indexing in process; Light; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Statistical; Mouse; Probabilistic reversal learning; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Punishment; Reinforcement Schedule; Reversal Learning - drug effects; Reversal Learning - physiology; Reward; Serotonin; Serotonin - physiology; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology; Punishment; Serotonin; Escitalopram; Depression; PRL; 5-HTT; CS; PRS; SD; Probabilistic reversal learning; Mouse; ESC; p PCR; HET; VEH; NFS; Reward; 5-HT; Expectancy/prediction; WT; ITI

Valid animal models of psychopathology need to include behavioural readouts informed by human findings. In the probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task, human subjects are confronted with serial reversal of the contingency between two operant stimuli and reward/punishment and, superimposed on this...