Dopamine modulates effort-based decision making in rats.

Full Abstract

Previous research has implicated dopamine as a modulating factor in choice behavior based on effort. The purpose of the present study was to determine the individual contribution of different dopamine receptors to effort-based decision making in rats. Rats were trained in a T-maze to choose a large-reward arm that contained 8 pellets of food over a small-reward arm that contained 2 pellets of food. The rats then were trained to climb progressively higher barriers to obtain the food from the large-reward arm. Using a discounting procedure on each test day, it was found that rats were more likely to choose the small-reward arm after treatment with the D1 antagonist, SCH-23390, or the D2 antagonist, haloperidol. The dopamine agonist, D-amphetamine, biased the rats toward choosing the large-reward arm and blunted the effects of SCH-23390 or haloperidol. Treatment with the D3 receptor antagonist, U99194, or the D3 receptor agonist, 7-OH-DPAT, did not alter choice behavior. These data indicate that D1 and D2 receptors are required for decisions based on effort. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Author information

Author/s: Bardgett, Mark E (ME); Depenbrock, Melissa (M); Downs, Nathan (N); Points, Megan (M); Green, Leonard (L);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41076, USA. bardgettm(-atsign-)nku.edu

Grants: P20 RR16481 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; R15 MH076788 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Behavioral neuroscience (Behav Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Apr; vol 123 (issue 2) : pp 242-51

Dates: Created 2009/03/31; Completed 2009/05/18;

PMID: 19331447, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 May 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Behav Neurosci. 2009 Apr;123(2):463-7. (PMID: 19331471)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals
Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Benzazepines - pharmacology
Conditioning, Operant - drug effects
Decision Making - drug effects; physiology
Dextroamphetamine - pharmacology
Discrimination (Psychology) - drug effects
Dopamine - metabolism
Dopamine Agonists - pharmacology
Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Haloperidol - pharmacology

Associated Chemicals: Benzazepines (0) ; Dopamine Agonists (0) ; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors (0) ; Indans (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D1 (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D3 (0) ; SCH 23390 (0) ; Tetrahydronaphthalenes (0) ; (5,6-dimethoxyindan-2-yl)dipropylamine (153570-58-2) ; Dextroamphetamine (51-64-9) ; Haloperidol (52-86-8) ; 7-hydroxy-2-N,N-dipropylaminotetralin (74938-11-7)

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