This set of chambers (2 for mice) specializes on a form of instrumental conditioning task known as (conditioned) avoidance. The animals learn to avoid electric foot shock either by shuttling between two interconnected compartments or by refraining from doing so. They are referred to as active and passive avoidance, respectively. Successful performance of either depends on fear conditioning, either to the contextual cues in the compartment(s) or discrete stimulus (e.g., tone) that precedes the foot shock.
Specifications:
• Med Associates Inc. Shuttle Boxes
http://www.med-associates.com/product-category/operant-conditioning-general-behavior
• Stimuli and foot shocks are as the Operant Conditioning Boxes
• Some knowledge of computer programming is required
• Performance is indexed by latency to shuttle, and success rate
• Duration: 1-5 days
Applications:
• Assessment of conditioned fear and avoidance learning
• Sensitivity to hippocampal and amygdala dysfunction
• Evaluation of (typical) antipsychotic drugs
• Learned helplessness is demonstrated in active avoidance learning when prior exposure to inescapable shocks leads to an emotional/cognitive state (relevant to depression) that impedes subsequent avoidance learning. The triadic design of learned helplessness is programmable with the necessary yoking design.
• One-trial passive avoidance learning for drugs and other interventions affecting memory formation, retrieval, consolidation
Location:
ST810
Hourly rate:
PolyU Users (per hour): $20
Users from other UGC-funded Universities / Self-financed local universities / Non-local universities / HKSAR Government (per hour): $40
Other External Users (per hour): $100
Person-in-charge: Dr Terence Tam
To use, please go to the URFMS
