The Relationship between Acquisition of Operant Behavior by Animals through Sensory Reinforcement Paradigm and Nervous Systems Actuated by Intracerebral Dopamine

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23530947
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Fukushima University
• Principal Investigator: TSUTSUI Yuji 福島大学, 共生システム理工学類, 教授 (70286243)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 感覚性強化 / 好奇心 / インターネット依存 / ドーパミン / オペラント行動 / ラット / 側坐核 / 強化学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Against the backdrop of the internet and online game addiction, this study designed an animal model to understand sensory reinforcement through visual and audio stimulation. We investigated the model's underlying neuromechanisms assuming that behavioral reinforcement occurred through audiovisual stimulation. Our studies in 2011 and 2012 utilized music/noise (audio stimulation) and lights (visual stimulation), respectively, as reinforcers to confirm the conditioning of rats to pressing levers (sensory reinforcement). In 2013, we examined the effects of destruction of the nucleus accumbens region containing terminal portions of dopaminergic neurons. This was followed by studies of destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens in 2014. We then focused on nerves actuated by intracerebral dopamine, which that are thought to be involved in addiction mechanisms.

Free Research Field

実験心理学