AX+, BX- Discrimination Learning in the Fear-Potentiated Startle Paradigm: Possible Relevance to Inhibitory Fear Learning in Extinction

Autor/inn/en	Myers, Karyn M.; Davis, Michael
Titel	AX+, BX- Discrimination Learning in the Fear-Potentiated Startle Paradigm: Possible Relevance to Inhibitory Fear Learning in Extinction
Quelle	In: Learning & Memory, 11 (2004) 4, S.464-475 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-0502
DOI	10.1101/lm.74704
Schlagwörter	Inhibition; Stimuli; Models; Fear; Discrimination Learning; Predictor Variables; Responses; Matched Groups; Animals; Experiments; Pretests Posttests; Statistical Analysis + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hemmung; Anreizsystem; Analogiemodell; Furcht; Lernen; Lernprozess; Prädiktor; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Erprobung; Statistische Analyse
Abstract	The neural mechanisms of fear suppression most commonly are studied through the use of extinction, a behavioral procedure in which a feared stimulus (i.e., one previously paired with shock) is nonreinforced repeatedly, leading to a reduction or elimination of the fear response. Although extinction is perhaps the most convenient index of fear inhibition, a great deal of behavioral work suggests that postextinction training conditioned stimuli are both excitatory and inhibitory, making it difficult to determine whether a neural manipulation affects inhibition, excitation, or some combination thereof. For this reason we sought to develop a behavioral procedure that would render a stimulus primarily inhibitory while at the same time avoiding some of the issues raised by the traditional conditioned inhibition paradigm, namely second-order conditioning, external inhibition, and configural learning. Using the fear-potentiated startle paradigm, we adapted an AX+, BX- training procedure in which stimuli A and X were presented simultaneously and paired with shock, and stimuli B and X were presented simultaneously in the absence of shock. In testing, high levels of fear-potentiated startle were seen in the presence of A and AX and much lower levels were seen in the presence of B and AB, as would be predicted if stimulus B were a conditioned inhibitor. We believe this method is a viable alternative to the traditional conditioned inhibition training procedure and will be useful for studying the neural mechanisms of fear inhibition. (Contains 7 figures and 1 table.) (Author).
Anmerkungen	Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury, NY 11797-2924. Tel: 800-843-4388; 516-367-8800; Fax: 516-422-4097; e-mail: cshpres@cshl.edu; Web site: http://www.learnmem.org/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10