AMPHETAMINE AND HALOPERIDOL MAY ALTER TEMPORAL PROCESSING DURING A NATURALLY OCCURRING BEHAVIOR...

1
5 C M Fram e 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Speed (C M /S) 0 10 20 30 40 D odger R obber Fram e 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Speed (C M /S) 0 10 20 30 40 D odger R obber 5 C M AMPHETAMINE AND HALOPERIDOL MAY ALTER TEMPORAL PROCESSING DURING A NATURALLY OCCURRING BEHAVIOR P.S.Wallace 1* ; E.F.Field 2 ; I.Q.Whishaw 2 ; D.G.Wallace 1 1. Dept Psychology, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, IL, USA 2. CCBN, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada Introduction Animals rely on their ability to process the passage of time while engaging in behaviors. Previous research has focused on operant and classical conditioning paradigms to measure an animal’s perception of time. These techniques are useful in examining certain processes; however, recent studies have demonstrated that temporal processing can be investigated while an animal engages in naturally occurring behaviors. Dodging behavior is observed when two rats compete for a limited amount of food. A typical dodge involves a rat displacing its body to prevent a second rat from robbing the food item. Previous data have shown that rats will adjust their dodges as a food item becomes smaller and eating is nearly complete. This suggests that the rat uses the time left to eat the food item to modulate dodging behavior. The current study examined pharmacological manipulations that are known to change a rat’s temporal processing in predictable ways. Both amphetamine and haloperidol have been identified as drugs that alter an animal’s time perception. Methods Following administration of saline, amphetamine, or haloperidol, female Long-Evans rats were videotaped while consuming individual food items in the presence of a robber. Both the dodger’s and robber’s behaviors were analyzed using kinematic analysis software. Results Figure 2: Topographic and kinematic representation of a dodge. Top panel: changes in head, torso, and tail positions for the dodger and robber during a dodge. Bottom panel: moment-to-moment speeds of the dodger and robber during a dodge. Figure 1: Apparatus used during dodging task. Plexiglas cylinder (20 cm diameter) resting on a Plexiglas shelf with mirror at an angle below. Video camera records from mirror image. Figure 3 : Topographic and kinematic representation of a brace. Top panel: changes in head, torso, and tail positions for the dodger and robber during a brace. Bottom panel: moment-to-moment speeds of the dodger and robber during a brace. Figure 5: Dodger’s and robber’s mean speeds during each of the five samples across drug conditions. Figure 4: Mean percent of sample duration spent engaging in dodges, braces, and other behaviors across drug conditions. Figure 7: Mean distance between the heads of the dodger and robber at the start of dodges and braces combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions. Figure 8: Mean distance between the heads of the dodger and robber during the dodges and braces combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions. S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 PercentofSample 0 20 40 60 80 100 Other Dodging Bracing S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 Saline Amphetamine Haloperidol S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 M ean Speed (C M /S) 0 5 10 15 20 25 Saline Am ph H al D odger R obber S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 M ean D odge D istance (C M ) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Saline Am ph H al S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 M ean D istance Betw een H eads atStart(C M ) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Saline Am ph H al S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 M ean D istance Betw een H eads (C M ) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Saline Am ph H al Figure 6: Dodger’s mean distance traveled when dodging and bracing combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions. Conclusions A dodger’s movement strategies change during the consumption of a hazel nut. Amphetamine and Haloperidol influence a dodger’s ability to modify movement strategies. Kinematic analysis of dodger and robber movements do not support hyper- or hypokinetic explanations of drug effects. Modification of temporal or attentional mechanisms may account for the effects of Amphetamine and Haloperidol on dodge Dodger head Dodger head Robber head Robber head

Transcript of AMPHETAMINE AND HALOPERIDOL MAY ALTER TEMPORAL PROCESSING DURING A NATURALLY OCCURRING BEHAVIOR...

Page 1: AMPHETAMINE AND HALOPERIDOL MAY ALTER TEMPORAL PROCESSING DURING A NATURALLY OCCURRING BEHAVIOR P.S.Wallace 1* ; E.F.Field 2 ; I.Q.Whishaw 2 ; D.G.Wallace.

5 CM

Frame

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Spe

ed (

CM

/S)

0

10

20

30

40 Dodger Robber

Frame

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Spe

ed (

CM

/S)

0

10

20

30

40DodgerRobber

5 CM

AMPHETAMINE AND HALOPERIDOL MAY ALTER TEMPORAL PROCESSING DURING A NATURALLY OCCURRING BEHAVIORP.S.Wallace1*; E.F.Field2; I.Q.Whishaw2; D.G.Wallace1

1. Dept Psychology, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, IL, USA 2. CCBN, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada

Introduction

Animals rely on their ability to process the passage of time while engaging in behaviors. Previous research has focused on operant and classical conditioning paradigms to measure an animal’s perception of time. These techniques are useful in examining certain processes; however, recent studies have demonstrated that temporal processing can be investigated while an animal engages in naturally occurring behaviors. Dodging behavior is observed when two rats compete for a limited amount of food. A typical dodge involves a rat displacing its body to prevent a second rat from robbing the food item. Previous data have shown that rats will adjust their dodges as a food item becomes smaller and eating is nearly complete. This suggests that the rat uses the time left to eat the food item to modulate dodging behavior. The current study examined pharmacological manipulations that are known to change a rat’s temporal processing in predictable ways. Both amphetamine and haloperidol have been identified as drugs that alter an animal’s time perception.

Methods

Following administration of saline, amphetamine, or haloperidol, female Long-Evans rats were videotaped while consuming individual food items in the presence of a robber. Both the dodger’s and robber’s behaviors were analyzed using kinematic analysis software.

Results

Figure 2: Topographic and kinematic representation of a dodge. Top panel: changes in head, torso, and tail positions for the dodger and robber during a dodge. Bottom panel: moment-to-moment speeds of the dodger and robber during a dodge.

Figure 1: Apparatus used during dodging task. Plexiglas cylinder (20 cm diameter) resting on a Plexiglas shelf with mirror at an angle below. Video camera records from mirror image.

Figure 3: Topographic and kinematic representation of a brace. Top panel: changes in head, torso, and tail positions for the dodger and robber during a brace. Bottom panel: moment-to-moment speeds of the dodger and robber during a brace.

Figure 5: Dodger’s and robber’s mean speeds during each of the five samples across drug conditions.

Figure 4: Mean percent of sample duration spent engaging in dodges, braces, and other behaviors across drug conditions.

Figure 7: Mean distance between the heads of the dodger and robber at the start of dodges and braces combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions.

Figure 8: Mean distance between the heads of the dodger and robber during the dodges and braces combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions.

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

Pe

rce

nt o

f Sa

mpl

e

0

20

40

60

80

100

OtherDodgingBracing

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

Saline Amphetamine Haloperidol

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

Mea

n S

peed

(C

M/S

)

0

5

10

15

20

25

SalineAmphHal

Dodger Robber

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

Mea

n D

odge

Dis

tanc

e (C

M)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30 SalineAmphHal

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5Mea

n D

ista

nce

Bet

wee

n H

eads

at

Sta

rt (

CM

)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12 SalineAmphHal

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

Mea

n D

ista

nce

Bet

wee

n H

eads

(C

M)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12SalineAmphHal

Figure 6: Dodger’s mean distance traveled when dodging and bracing combined for each of the five samples across drug conditions.

Conclusions

A dodger’s movement strategies change during the consumption of a hazel nut.

Amphetamine and Haloperidol influence a dodger’s ability to modify movement strategies.

Kinematic analysis of dodger and robber movements do not support hyper- or hypokinetic explanations of drug effects.

Modification of temporal or attentional mechanisms may account for the effects of Amphetamine and Haloperidol on dodge efficiency.

Dodger head

Dodger head

Robber head

Robber head