Abstract
Appetitive conditioning refers to the process of learning cue-reward associations and is mediated by the mesocorticolimbic system. Appetitive conditioned responses are difficult to extinguish, especially for highly salient reward such as food and drugs. We investigate whether aversive counterconditioning can alter reward reinstatement in the ventral striatum in healthy volunteers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In the initial conditioning phase, two different stimuli were reinforced with a monetary reward. In the subsequent counterconditioning phase, one of these stimuli was paired with an aversive shock to the wrist. In the following extinction phase, none of the stimuli were reinforced. In the final reinstatement phase, reward was reinstated by informing the participants that the monetary gain could be doubled. Our fMRI data revealed that reward signaling in the ventral striatum and ventral tegmental area following reinstatement was smaller for the stimulus that was counterconditioned with an electrical shock, compared to the non-counterconditioned stimulus. A functional connectivity analysis showed that aversive counterconditioning strengthened striatal connectivity with the hippocampus and insula. These results suggest that reward signaling in the ventral striatum can be attenuated through aversive counterconditioning, possibly by concurrent retrieval of the aversive association through enhanced connectivity with hippocampus and insula.
Highlights
Appetitive conditioning is the process by which cues (CS) become associated with reward (US) and subsequently acquire incentive salience themselves conditioned response (CR) (Everitt and Robbins, 2005)
Given the increasing evidence of mesocorticolimbic interactions between aversive and appetitive learning, we hypothesized that aversive counterconditioning would reduce reward signaling following reinstatement within the mesocorticolimbic pathway. To test this hypothesis we developed an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task that consisted of four phases: first, in the conditioning phase, two different stimuli were reinforced with a monetary reward if the participant hit the target on time
Nine participants (34.6%) were unaware of the contingency between the stimulus and the electrical shock. As these participants did not learn the association between the cue that predicted the electrical shock and the electrical shock itself, they were excluded from further analysis
Summary
Appetitive conditioning is the process by which cues (CS) become associated with reward (US) and subsequently acquire incentive salience (reward motivation) themselves CR (Everitt and Robbins, 2005). Non-experimental study suggested that the administration of electrical shocks to addicted individuals while they relived past drug using experiences can result in a low relapse rate during the 2-years follow-up (Copeman, 1976). Despite this early positive finding of aversive counterconditioning on relapse in drug addiction, similar effects have only recently been reported in experimental studies in which it was demonstrated that aversive counterconditioning is more effective than extinction in reducing reward motivation in humans (Van Gucht et al, 2010) and rats (Tunstall et al, 2012). Two important questions remain to be answered: (1) Does aversive counterconditioning modulate reward reinstatement, and (2) what are the neurobiological mechanisms involved in aversive counterconditioning? This knowledge may help to develop aversive counterconditioning strategies to prevent relapse in addiction
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
