Detection of a temporal structure in the rat behavioural response to an aversive stimulation in the emotional object recognition (EOR) task.
Physiology & Behavior. 2021-09-01; 238: 113481
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113481
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1. Physiol Behav. 2021 Sep 1;238:113481. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113481. Epub
2021 Jun 2.
Detection of a temporal structure in the rat behavioural response to an aversive
stimulation in the emotional object recognition (EOR) task.
Casarrubea M(1), Palacino M(2), Brancato A(3), Lavanco G(4), Cannizzaro C(5),
Crescimanno G(6).
Author information:
(1)Laboratory of Behavioral Physiology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience
and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), Human Physiology Section “Giuseppe Pagano”,
University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy; Interdepartmental Center for Science
Technology (C.I.T.C.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address:
.
(2)Laboratory of Behavioral Physiology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience
and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), Human Physiology Section “Giuseppe Pagano”,
University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address:
.
(3)Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Health Promotion, Mother
and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence “G.
D’Alessandro” (PROMISE) University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic
address: .
(4)INSERM U1215 Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address:
.
(5)Interdepartmental Center for Science Technology (C.I.T.C.), University of
Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of
Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical
Specialties of Excellence “G. D’Alessandro” (PROMISE) University of Palermo,
Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: .
(6)Laboratory of Behavioral Physiology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience
and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), Human Physiology Section “Giuseppe Pagano”,
University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy; Interdepartmental Center for Science
Technology (C.I.T.C.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address:
.
Aim of the research was to investigate whether a temporal structure could be
detected in the behavioural response to an aversive stimulation. A fear-related
memory task was used in rats, placed in a modified version of the Novel Object
Recognition task known as Emotional Object Recognition task, i.e. a behavioural
assay that orbits around the declarative memory for an aversive experience. To
this purpose, twelve male Wistar rats, divided in two groups (Control and
Aversive memory), observed after 4 h (OR4h) and after 24 h (OR24h) from the
delivery of an aversive stimulation, associated to a specific object, were used.
Data were evaluated both in terms of conventional quantitative approaches and by
means of T-pattern analysis, namely a multivariate technique able to unveil the
temporal structure of behaviour and the relationships amongst the behavioural
items in time. Results evidenced several changes between groups and over time as
well. Mean occurrences and mean durations showed significant differences between
OR4h and OR24h sessions and between Control and Aversive memory groups for
behavioural items of Exploration, Object-related aversion and Immobility.
T-pattern analysis revealed important changes of behavioural variability,
complexity and repetitiveness, (i.e., the three main qualitative features of
T-patterns) in the Aversive memory group. These outcomes highlight a simpler and
linear behavioural profile, focused only on specific sequences of particularly
repetitive events. Overall, the present study demonstrates a) the presence of a
temporal organization of fear-related behavioural events and b) the influence of
learning on the modifications observed over time.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113481
PMID: 34089704 [Indexed for MEDLINE]