Abstract
The acquisition of a discrete-trial lever-press avoidance response was compared between the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and nor-motensive rat (WKYN). Rats from each strain received 10 days of training at one of four different CS-US intervals ranging from 7 sec to 100 sec. At the shortest interval (7 sec), the avoidance performance and the number of shocks per day were similar for the two strains. However, as the CS-US interval increased the SHR rats made significantly more avoidance responses and received fewer shocks than the WKYN rats on Days 2 through 10 of training. These results are discussed in terms of the features of this task as a stress procedure and the behavioral differences between the SHR and WKYN strains.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BERGER, D.F., & BRUSH, F.R. 1975. Rapid acquisition of discrete-trial lever-press avoidance: Effects of signal-shock interval. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 24, 227–239.
CAMPBELL, R.J., & DICARA, L.V. 1977. Running-wheel avoidance behavior in the Wistar/Kyoto spontaneously hypertensive rat. Physiology and Behavior, 19, 473–480.
D’AMATO, M.R., & SCHIFF, D. 1964. Long-term discriminated avoidance performance in the rat. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 57, 123–126.
FRIEDMAN, R., & IWAI, J. 1976. Genetic predisposition and stress-induced hypertension. Science, 193, 161–162.
HALLBACK, M., & FOLKOW, B. 1974. Cardiovascular responses to acute mental “stress” in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Acta Physiol. Scand. 90, 684–498.
JUDY, W.V., WATANABE, A.M., HENRY, D.P., BESCH, H.R., MURPHY, W.R., & HOCKEL, G.M. 1976. Sympathetic nerve activity: Role in regulation of blood pressure in the SHR. Circulation Research, 38, Supplement II, 21–29.
LAWLER, J.E., BAKER, G.F., HUBBARD, J.W., & ALLEN, M.T. 1980. The effects of conflict on toxic levels of blood pressure in the genetically borderline hypertensive rat. Psychophysiology, 17, 363–370.
LAWLER, J.E., OBRIST, P.A., & LAWLER, K.A. 1975. Cardiovascular function during pre-avoidance, avoidance, and post-avoidance in dogs. Psychophysiology, 12, 4–11.
McCARTY, R., & KOPIN, I.J. 1978. Alterations in plasma catecholamines and behavior during acute stress in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto normotensive rats. Life Sciences, 22, 997–1006.
MEYER, D.R., CHO. C, & WESEMANN, A.F. 1960. On problems of conditioned discriminated lever-press avoidance responses. Psychological Review, 67, 224–228.
SATINDER, K.P. 1977. Arousal explains difference in avoidance learning of genetically selected rat strains. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 91, 1326–1336.
SUTTERER, J.R., PERRY, J., & DeVITO, W. 1980. Two-way shuttlebox and lever-press avoidance in the spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rat. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 94, 155–163.
TAKAORI, S., TANAKA, C., & OKAMOTO, K. 1972. Relationship between behavior and brain monoamines in spontaneously hypertensive rats. In K. Okamoto (Ed.), Spontaneous hypertension: Its pathogenesis and complications. Berlin: Springer- Verlag.
YAMORI, Y., MATSUMOTO, M., YAMABE, H., & OKAMOTO, K. 1969. Augmentation of spontaneous hypertension by chronic stress in rats. Japanese Circulation Journal, 33, 399–409.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by grants from the Graduate School of Syracuse University, the Finger Lakes Chapter of the American Heart Association, and Grant 79–729 from the American Heart Association.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sutterer, J.R., Devito, W.J. & Rykaszewski, I. Discrete-Trial Lever-Press Avoidance in the SHR and WKYN Strains. Psychol Rec 31, 157–163 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394732
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394732