Sign- vs. goal-tracking in a feature positive discrimination task with nicotine: Importance of spatial location of the conditional stimulus

Amanda M. Dion, Carmela M. Reichel, Rick A. Bevins

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We assessed whether sign-tracking developed along with goal-tracking in a Pavlovian drug discrimination task. Rats had nicotine sessions intermixed with saline sessions. For nicotine sessions, 15-s illumination of a light near (Experiment 1) or far (Experiment 2) from the dipper receptacle was followed by sucrose. Saline sessions were similar to nicotine sessions except sucrose was withheld. Regardless of location, the light evoked goal-tracking only on nicotine sessions. Only rats with the light near the dipper developed sign-tracking.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)341-345
Number of pages5
JournalBehavioural Brain Research
Volume218
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 15 2011

Keywords

  • Appetitive learning
  • Classical conditioning
  • Goal-tracking
  • Interoceptive stimulus
  • Occasion setting
  • Pavlovian drug discrimination
  • Rats
  • Sign-tracking
  • Smoking
  • Tobacco

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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