6-Hydroxydopamine lesions in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to a peak-interval procedure

Impaired temporal control is symptomatic of several neurological disorders; recently, it has been implicated in schizophrenia. An animal model of schizophrenia using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infused to the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) was employed to examine its effects on temporal control. Twelve rats were trained on a peak-interval procedure (PIP) until stable patterns of behavior were obtained. Rats infused with 6-OHDA responded less during peak trials and their peak functions were flatter than sham rats. These results are consistent with similar studies with transgenic mice with increased striatal dopamine D2 receptor activity. Lesions in the mPFC decreased motivation to respond in a PIP. These effects may be considered analogous to negative symptoms of schizophrenia...

Incluindo dados fisiológicos na ciência do comportamento: uma análise crítica / Including physiological data in a science of behavior: a critical analysis

A posição dos analistas do comportamento sobre a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento varia. David Schaal, um analista do comportamento contemporâneo, apontou vantagens de tal inclusão para a análise do comportamento em quatro pontos: (a) identificação de mecanismos de retenção do condicionamento operante; (b) a fisiologia dá explicações quando as descrições não são suficientes; (c) elucidação de mecanismos celular e neural de reforçamento e (d) caracterização de alterações degenerativas no cérebro. O presente artigo proporciona discussões futuras desses pontos se eles realmente representam uma vantagem `a análise do comportamento. É argumentado e exemplificado que a análise do comportamento e a neurociência não são multuamente exclusivas. Por fim, as condições sob as quais a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento representa uma vantagem à área são delineadas.

The position of behavior analysts on the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis varies. David Schaal, a contemporary behavior analyst, addressed advantages of such inclusion to behavior analysis in four points: (a) identification of retention mechanisms of operant conditioning; (b) physiology provides explanations when descriptions are not sufficient; (c) elucidation of cellular and neural mechanisms of reinforcement; and (d) characterization of degenerative alterations in the brain. The present paper provides further discussion of these points as to whether they truly represent an advantage to behavior analysis. It is argued and exemplified that behavior analysis and neuroscience are not mutually exclusive. Finally, the conditions under which the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis represents an advantage to the field are delineated.