Varying temporal location of a conditioned stimulus in heart rate conditioning of Macaca mulatta

The several functions that a stimulus can assume were investigated in a Pavlovian conditioning procedure. The subjects were six rhesus monkeys; the response under observation was heart rate. The conditioning began with a temporal separation of zero between a signal and a regularly repeating electric shock; the signal was then moved to a series of earlier locations in the inter-shock interval. After six sessions at each location, two sessions followed in which only the shock was delivered periodically. The findings included: (1) A two-phased conditioned cardiac rate response seen at the first location became more multiphasic and irregular during longer intervals between signal and shock; (2) the location where the conditioned response peaked became increasingly variable as the signal was moved back, but this variability maintained a constant proportion to the signal-shock interval; and (3) heart rate during a presignal period, and during a comparable period in shock only sessions, was generally deceleratory early in training and acceleratory thereafter. Sessions with the signal showed heart rate in the presignal period to have become acceleratory earlier in training than sessions with shock only. The data pertain to stimulus control over heart rate as a function of: (A) the temporal proximity of a signal to an aversive stimulus; and, (B) the presence or absence of the signal. The use of appropriate response units in cardiac conditioning is also discussed.     

Spontaneous eyeblinks are correlated with responses during the Stroop task

The timing and frequency of spontaneous eyeblinking is thought to be influenced by ongoing internal cognitive or neurophysiological processes, but how precisely these processes influence the dynamics of eyeblinking is still unclear. This study aimed to better understand the functional role of eyeblinking during cognitive processes by investigating the temporal pattern of eyeblinks during the performance of attentional tasks. The timing of spontaneous eyeblinks was recorded from 28 healthy subjects during the performance of both visual and auditory versions of the Stroop task, and the temporal distributions of eyeblinks were estimated in relation to the timing of stimulus presentation and vocal response during the tasks. We found that the spontaneous eyeblink rate increased during Stroop task performance compared with the resting rate. Importantly, the subjects (17/28 during the visual Stroop, 20/28 during the auditory Stroop) were more likely to blink before a vocal response in both tasks (150-250 msec) and the remaining subjects were more likely to blink soon after the vocal response (200-300 msec), regardless of the stimulus type (congruent or incongruent) or task difficulty. These findings show that spontaneous eyeblinks are closely associated with responses during the performance of the Stroop task on a short time scale and suggest that spontaneous eyeblinks likely signal a shift in the internal cognitive or attentional state of the subjects.     

Responses of male cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) to attenuated and degraded advertisement calls

We examined the vocal and non‐vocal responses of male cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) to conspecific advertisement calls that had been attenuated or degraded by reducing the depth of amplitude modulation (AM). Both are characteristic of changes to the call as it is transmitted through natural habitats. As stimulus calls became more intense or less degraded, male cricket frogs gradually decreased their call rate and increased the number of call groups and pulse groups in their calls, changes indicative of increased aggressive interactions. At the higher intensities and lower degradation levels, the probability that males would shift to one of two non‐vocal behavioral responses, attacking the perceived intruder or ceasing calling and abandoning the call site, gradually increased. The results show that differences in signal attenuation and AM degradation levels are perceived by males and trigger both vocal and non‐vocal behavioral responses consistent with their use in evaluating the distance to a challenging male. Furthermore, the results indicate that the male responses are graded, increasing as intensity rises and degradation falls, and hierarchical, with vocal responses preceding behavioral responses over the range of intensities and degradation levels presented.     

Dependence of the perception of emotional information of speech on the acoustic parameters of the stimulus in children of various ages

The effect on the perception of the emotional prosody of a vocal signal of the acoustic parameters of the stimulus in children of various ages (7–10, 11–13, and 14–17 years) was studied. Considerable differences in recognition of positive and negative valences of the vocal signal against the background of noise and in its absence were demonstrated. The ontogenetic specific features of the dependence of recognition of the emotional valence on the acoustic parameters of a vocal signal were determined. The most important acoustic characters (the fundamental frequency F0 and the frequency of the first formant F1) that ensure the perception of the emotional prosody of a vocal signal against the background of noise at different age stages were found.     

Second positive phototropism in the Avena coleoptile

A method has been developed whereby the second positive phototropism can be observed separately from the first positive and negative phototropic responses which also occur in oat coleoptiles. Although the second positive phototropic response has often been referred to as the base response, photoreception for it is shown to occur mainly in the apical 3 mm of the coleoptile. The Bunsen-Roscoe reciprocity law, so typical of first positive phototropism, does not apply to the second positive responses, and the amount of curvature increases linearly with the duration of the stimulus. However, although this linear proportionality between stimulus duration and response is the major factor determining response at all intensities tested, the intensity of the stimulus does influence the response somewhat. The action spectrum for the response shows no activity above 510 nm and has peaks at 375 and 450 nm. In all but one particular it closely resembles the action spectrum for the first positive phototropism, and it is concluded that the same, or similar, pigments may well be the photoreceptors for both types of response. The identity of this blue light absorbing pigment is not known.     

Stimulus-Response-Outcome Coding in the Pigeon Nidopallium Caudolaterale

A prerequisite for adaptive goal-directed behavior is that animals constantly evaluate action outcomes and relate them to both their antecedent behavior and to stimuli predictive of reward or non-reward. Here, we investigate whether single neurons in the avian nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a multimodal associative forebrain structure and a presumed analogue of mammalian prefrontal cortex, represent information useful for goal-directed behavior. We subjected pigeons to a go-nogo task, in which responding to one visual stimulus (S+) was partially reinforced, responding to another stimulus (S–) was punished, and responding to test stimuli from the same physical dimension (spatial frequency) was inconsequential. The birds responded most intensely to S+, and their response rates decreased monotonically as stimuli became progressively dissimilar to S+; thereby, response rates provided a behavioral index of reward expectancy. We found that many NCL neurons'' responses were modulated in the stimulus discrimination phase, the outcome phase, or both. A substantial fraction of neurons increased firing for cues predicting non-reward or decreased firing for cues predicting reward. Interestingly, the same neurons also responded when reward was expected but not delivered, and could thus provide a negative reward prediction error or, alternatively, signal negative value. In addition, many cells showed motor-related response modulation. In summary, NCL neurons represent information about the reward value of specific stimuli, instrumental actions as well as action outcomes, and therefore provide signals useful for adaptive behavior in dynamically changing environments.     

Behavioural response evoked by conspecific distress calls in two neotropical treefrogs

Anurans emit distress calls when attacked by predators as a defensive mechanism. As distress calls may trigger antipredator behaviour even in individuals that are not under attack, we tested whether this defensive behaviour induced behavioural changes in neighbouring conspecifics. We compared the behavioural responses of two species of Neotropical hylid frogs (genus Boana) to conspecific distress calls and white noise. Individuals of both species interrupted their vocal activity and decreased call rate after hearing the distress call. Natural variation on signal intensity calibrated among the nearest neighbours did not influence the response and we did not observe negative phonotaxis after any acoustic stimulus. Despite the fact that many predators are acoustically oriented, we could not determine if such response (reduced call rate) was induced by risk assessment or by the masking effect on advertisement calls. Boana faber responded similarly to white noise and distress calls, while B. bischoffi responded more intensely to distress calls. Duration of silence after playbacks in B. faber was longer than B. bischoffi. We suggest that, if the signals are interpreted as a risk cue by neighbouring conspecifics, each species may be preyed upon by different predators, as they may have led to distinct defensive strategies and different responses to distress calls. If risk assessment information is included in distress calls, it triggers behavioural responses only in the nearest neighbours, as we did not observe responses on the vocal activity of the interspecific chorus. Our results add relevant data about acoustic communication and interpretations by anurans, highlighting the importance of considering cues within common and widespread signals.     

Male Calling Behavior and Female Choice in the Neotropical Treefrog Hyla microcephala

The effect of stimulus call complexity and calling rate on the vocal responses of males and female mate choice was studied in Hyla microcephala in Panama. Males increased the number of notes in their calls in response to increases in stimulus call complexity during both playback of 1 to 8-note advertisement calls and during natural interactions. However, precise matching of the number of notes in stimuli and responses did not occur consistently. Males also increased calling rates if stimuli were presented above prestimulus rates. Two-stimulus choice experiments demonstrated that females prefer both higher calling rates and greater call complexity, indicating that the ways males change their vocal behavior during interactions increases their attractiveness to potential mates. Tests in which the relative intensity of a high and low rate stimulus was varied indicated that females prefer stimuli with higher total sound energy. In a natural chorus, it is likely that females simply approach males giving the most conspicuous calls.     

Contextual stimulus control of conditional vasomotor and electrodermal reactions to angry and friendly faces. Transswitching--yes! Preparedness--No!

An experiment with 42 human Ss used the transswitching procedure to examine tonic stimulus control of phasic and tonic conditioned vasomotor heart rate, and electrodermal reactions. The conditional stimulus (CSs) were photos of angry and friendly human faces, and the unconditional stimulus (US) was a human scream. In one tonic context (blue light), the CSs were paired with the US, in the other context (yellow light), the CSs were presented unpaired. Following acquisition, an extinction series was run with the US omitted during both tonic contexts. Phasic vasomotor and skin conductance reactions differed in the positive and negative tonic segments (stronger in positive). The skin conductance responses also differed during extinction, but the vasomotor responses did not. Tonic differences (following onset of the tonic stimuli) in unelicited skin conductance response frequency, finger pulse volume, and heart rate were also found, although these developed more slowly than the phasic differences. The finger pulse volume tonic difference was greater in extinction than the skin conductance response frequency. There was no effect of the angry-friendly facial expressions, either directly or in interaction with the transswitching effects. The results were interpreted to mean that the transswitching phenomenon is not limited to one another autonomic effector, but is more generalized across the ANS (sympathetic branch). The absence of influence of the facial expressions indicates the relative weakness of the "preparedness" hypothesis in comparison with more influential contextual factors.     

Generalization and discrimination of positive and negative acoustic stimuli in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Groups of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were trained for 33 days to discriminate between two acoustic signals differing in frequency and temporal pattern. One signal (positive stimulus) was reinforced by food, while the other (negative stimulus) was not rewarded. When exposed to 3 positive and 3 negative stimuli per day (training Paradigm 1) the fish responded similarly to the two signals. When daily negative stimuli outnumbered positive stimuli (3 positive and 33 negative, training Paradigm 2) the fish responded similarly to the two signals for the first 2 weeks and then began to discriminate between them. Discriminatory response was statistically significant from Day 21 of training. After 33 days, training was switched from Paradigm 2 to Paradigm 1 and the fish maintained their discriminatory capability. The results are interpreted in terms of anticipatory frustration and risk management.     

Postnatal development of respiratory and vocal responses during aversive classical conditioning in cats

Respiratory rate, respiration amplitude, and vocal responses were recorded in cats of different ages during classic conditioning. Vocal responses to the conditional stimulus (CS) appeared first in 8-week-old kittens, and became prominent at older ages. An increase in respiration rate occurred after the onset of the CS in cats of all ages. Similarly, the decrease of respiration amplitude was observed at all ages, but only in 8-week-old and older subjects did this response resemble an adult pattern. In 4-week-old kittens the response was characterized by an early and brief peak, suggesting an alpha conditional response (CR). Clear and significant discrimination between a warning and a safety signal was present in both respiratory and vocal responses after the age of 8 weeks.     

Perception of the emotional component of vocal signals at different durations of the stimulus

The effect of the temporal structure of a vocal stimulus on the perception of the emotional component of the signal was studied in several age groups (7–10, 11–13, and 14–17 years). The experiments were performed at different durations of the stimulus (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 s). ANOVA of the recognition efficiency and response time showed that the stimulus duration and the interactions of this factor with two others (stimulus duration × age and stimulus duration × emotion type) were highly significant for the recognition of emotions. The effects of the temporal structure of the signal on the recognition efficiency and response time were the strongest in the cases of neutral and negative emotional intonations and on going from the youngest to the middle age group. The minimal stimulus duration at which the threshold recognition of the emotion type occurred changed with age (from 2 s in the youngest age group to 0.5 s in the oldest). The capacity of the sensory acoustic memory was evaluated in children and adolescents of different ages.     

The variability of the reaction to a visual stimulus in goldfish, Carassius auratus L. (Cyprinidae: Pisces)

Animal's responses to repeated identical stimulation are notoriously variable. The variability is not always resulted from differences between individuals, stimulus action, or habituation. Goldfish's responses to a visual stimulus were studied in order to reveal the nature of variability. The experimental device consisted of a white circular corridor, and the black band stimulus drown across the corridor. Fish responded to the stimulation by an increase in frequency of turns in the vicinity of the band. The response, however, was not always positive: sometimes fish passed by the band with no turns (negative response). The significant tendency to repeat positive and negative responses by series was observed. Intensity of the response differed between individuals, and some individuals never responded at all. The simulating dynamic model of goldfish behaviour was studied both qualitatively and quantitatively. The model assumes that the control mechanism of the behaviour is influenced by the noise (fluctuations of nervous activity) which causes phase transitions in the mechanism. The similarity of the model's behaviour to experimental data suggests that the response variability observed in goldfish resulted from the self-organising process. Therefore, the variability should persist even in the absence of any variations in an external stimulation, as well as in the absence of individual differences.     

Brain-stem auditory evoked potentials in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Brain-stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were recorded in 10 common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) to investigate the effects of recording electrode configurations, stimulus rate, and stimulus frequency on BAEP wave forms and peak latencies. Tone burst stimulations were used to evaluate the effects of pure tone on BAEP wave forms. Five positive peaks superimposed on positive and negative slow potentials were identified in the BAEP recorded at the linkage between the vertex and the dorsal base of the ear ipsilateral to a monaural stimulus. When the reference electrode was placed at the ipsilateral mastoid or the neck, the amplitudes of positive and negative slow potentials and the incidence of wave I increased. There were no significant changes in peak latencies of BAEP waves with changes in stimulus rate from 5 to 20/s. It was possible to record the BAEPs in response to tone burst stimulations at frequencies extending from 0.5 to 99 kHz. Wave I appeared apparently at high stimulus frequencies; while waves III to V, at low frequencies. Wave II was recorded at frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 99 kHz and comprised a superposition of 2 or 3 potentials.     

Behavioral discrimination of sexually dimorphic calls by male zebra finches requires an intact vocal motor pathway

Vocal communication between zebra finches includes the exchange of long calls (LCs) as well as song. By using this natural call behavior and quantifying the LCs emitted in response to playbacks of LCs of other birds, we have previously shown that adult male zebra finches have a categorical preference for the LCs of females over those of males. Female LCs are acoustically simpler than male LCs, which include complex acoustic features that are learned during development. Production of these male-typical features requires an intact nucleus RA, the sexually dimorphic source of the main telencephalic projection to brainstem vocal effectors. We have now made bilateral lesions of RA in 17 adult males and tested their discrimination behavior in the call response situation. Lesioned birds continue to call, but lose the male-typical preference for female LCs. The degree of loss is correlated with the extent of RA damage. Further, the simplified LCs of males with RA lesions have a variable duration that is correlated with stimulus features. In effect, the call response behavior of lesioned males becomes like that of females. Apparently, in the absence of RA, the remaining intact structures receive different call information than RA normally does, and/or process it differently. This suggests that the vocal motor nucleus RA could play a role in the transformation of a signal encoding the salience of stimulus parameters into a control signal that modulates the probability and strength of responding.     

Acquisition of enhanced natural killer cell activity under anesthesia

An increase in natural killer (NK) cell activity can be conditioned with a one trial learning paradigm to demonstrate the interaction between the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system. In order to demonstrate learning possibilities during ‘non-conscious’ state, mice were anesthetized with a ketamin/rompun mixture and underwent one trial learning with odor cue as the conditioned stimulus (CS) preceding the unconditioned stimulus (US). The results indicated that mice that were exposed to camphor odor cue under the influence of anesthesia can associate the signal with the poly I:C unconditioned stimulus and were able to recall the conditioned response upon reexposure to the CS. Secondly, the conditioned association made in a conscious state can be recalled by exposure to the same olfactory odor cue in a ‘non-conscious’ state. The increase in the conditioned change in NK cell activity of both situations was significantly higher than the control group. The results demonstrate that learning can take place and the learned response can be recalled under the reduced awareness caused by anesthesia. The findings we report are unusual and novel in that they demonstrate that the CNS can learn new associations under conditions where the host is apparently unaware of the signals being linked. Anesthesia combined with the long interstimulus interval indicates that certain neuronal pathways in the CNS are receptive to second signals (elicited by the US) even when the second signal is separated by one day. This means the conditioned learning of a physiological response can take place unconsciously at a separate level and under situations where the host is totally unaware of the events which the brain is processing and linking as incoming information.     

Effects of electroporation on optically recorded transmembrane potential responses to high-intensity electrical shocks

The outcome of defibrillation shocks is determined by the nonlinear transmembrane potential (DeltaVm) response induced by a strong external electrical field in cardiac cells. We investigated the contribution of electroporation to DeltaVm transients during high-intensity shocks using optical mapping. Rectangular and ramp stimuli (10-20 ms) of different polarities and intensities were applied to the rabbit heart epicardium during the plateau phase of the action potential (AP). DeltaVm were optically recorded under a custom 6-mm-diameter electrode using a voltage-sensitive dye. A gradual increase of cathodal and well as anodal stimulus strength was associated with 1) saturation and subsequent reduction of DeltaVm; 2) postshock diastolic resting potential (RP) elevation; and 3) postshock AP amplitude (APA) reduction. Weak stimuli induced a monotonic DeltaVm response and did not affect the RP level. Strong shocks produced a nonmonotonic DeltaVm response and caused RP elevation and a reduction of postshock APA. The maximum positive and maximum negative DeltaVm were recorded at 170 +/- 20 mA/cm2 for cathodal stimuli and at 240 +/- 30 mA/cm2 for anodal stimuli, respectively (means +/- SE, n = 8, P = 0.003). RP elevation reached 10% of APA at a stimulus strength of 320 +/- 40 mA/cm2 for both polarities. Strong ramp stimuli (20 ms, 600 mA/cm2) induced a nonmonotonic DeltaVm response, reaching the same largest positive and negative values as for rectangular shocks. The transition from monotonic to nonmonotonic morphology correlates with RP elevation and APA reduction, which is consistent with cell membrane electroporation. Strong shocks resulted in propidium iodide uptake, suggesting sarcolemma electroporation. In conclusion, electroporation is a likely explanation of the saturation and nonmonotonic nature of cellular responses reported for strong electric stimuli.     

Peculiarities of Cardiac Activity in the Crayfish Astacus astacus in Different Functional States

Analyzed are changes of temporal and amplitude characteristics of the cycles in animals in different functional states, using a non-invasive method of recording of cardiac activity in the adult noble crayfish Astacus astacus L. under laboratory conditions. It has been shown that the state of excitation in the crayfish after action of an intense stimulus lasts for a long time (more than 1 h) and can have no manifestations in some observed behavioral responses. Based only on the cardiac response (the heart rate), the real physiological state of the animal could be evaluated. Characteristic of the excited animal is a short-term response to the stimulus. In a high excitement of the animal (a high heart rate), significant transformations of the heart activity in response to other current stimuli may be barely noticeable. For the quiet animal, the response to a stimulus is longer than for the excited animal at the same stimulus intensity; for a comparative search for significant readjustments of the animal state, based on the heart activity parameters, the cardiograms typical of the quiet animal should be used. In the quiet animals, the cardiogram parameters change to a greater extent than in the excited ones. The quiet animals have longer diastole duration (DD) than the systole duration (SD). The diastole amplitude (DA) is higher than the systole amplitude (SA), and DA changes more markedly than SA. The healthy animals are characterized by equal values of DD and SD, sometimes by longer SD than DD, but, on the background of a continuing action, their values and the values of DA and SA become equal. There were noted a negative correlation between the systolic and diastolic phases by temporal parameters for healthy animals and an increase of the correlation significance in transition of the animal into the excited state. Based on the cardiovascular system response, the chief features of a shift of the functional crayfish state to pathological direction seem to include a stable heart rate reduction, a decrease of the heart contraction amplitude, a more frequent predominance of SD over DD, an increase of the means and the standard deviations of the parameters, especially of the cycle amplitudes. Changes of the sign and significance of correlation relations between inotropic and chronotropic parameters of cardiac activity in sick animals appear to indicate a disturbed mechanism of central coordination of the cardiovascular system work with its autonomic mechanisms. The results are discussed on the basis of known mechanisms of the heart activity control in Decapoda. The records of cardiac activity, such as laser light cardiograms (LLC), in testaceous invertebrates may be useful and interesting in studies on mechanisms and processes of internal control and management of the cardiovascular system activity of the animals.     

Determinants of tonic and phasic reactions in transswitching

Forty-eight college students were assigned randomly to four groups in a 2 X 2 factorial arrangement of phasic conditional stimuli (same vs. different) and tonic conditional stimuli (same vs. different) to receive 2 days of classical conditioning with a transswitching procedure. Tonic stimuli were a 5-minute projected white triangle or circle; phasic stimuli were a 5-second red or green square superimposed over the tonic stimuli. There were six tonic stimulus segments each day, separated by 20-second periods of no stimulus, three containing six trials of the phasic stimulus paired with shock and three containing six trials of the phasic stimulus alone, in the counterbalanced order. Tonic responding at the onset of the tonic stimuli or during brief periods following its onset were recorded, along with phasic responses to the phasic stimuli. Responses included magnitude of skin conductance responses, frequency of unelicited skin conductance responses, and tonic heart rate. Both skin conductance measures of responding to the tonic stimuli differentiated significantly between positive and negative tonic segments during Day 2, but only in the group with two different tonic stimuli and one phasic stimulus ("standard" transswitching). This supported the hypothesis that tonic stimulus differentiation would be absent when two different phasic stimuli were present. The heart rate data did not support this hypothesis, showing tonic differentiation in both groups with two tonic stimuli. Phasic differentiation controlled by the different phasic stimuli was observed on Day 1; on Day 2, phasic differentiation was present only in the group with two tonic and one phasic stimuli and the group with one tonic and two phasic stimuli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Probability analysis of elements of rat behavior after sudden and signalled interruption of food reinforcement

Probability analysis was carried out of the appearance of single elements of rats behaviour in the process of extinction of a conditioned alimentary motor reflex. The dynamics of effector behavioural components at a sudden cessation of reinforcement (usual schedule of extinction) was compared with cessation of reinforcement signalled by a previously differentiated signal and with reinforcement cessation preceded by a stimulus initially unknown to the animal. If the reinforcement cessation is signalled by a previously differentiated (negative) stimulus, in response to its action the animals "loose the aim", what is revealed in a rapid complete reduction of all elements of the goal-directed alimentary behaviour. Obviously differentiation signal actualises the memory trace of "nonreinforcement" which was formed in the previous negative experience of the animal; this is revealed in accelerated inhibition of the alimentary motor reflex under extinction.