Conditional Control of Instrumental Avoidance by Context Following Extinction.

Vincent D. Campese,Lauren A. Brannigan,Joseph E. LeDoux

doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.730113

Abstract

Using rodents, three training arrangements (i.e., ABB vs. ABA, AAA vs. AAB and ABB vs. ABC) explored whether extinction influences the expression of avoidance in a manner controlled by context. Retention testing following extinction showed that more avoidance responding (i.e., renewal) was observed when extinguished cues were tested outside of the context where they had undergone extinction. In contrast, response rates were significantly lower when stimuli were tested within the context where extinction learning had occurred. These findings add to the emerging literature assessing the role of Pavlovian extinction processes in the development of instrumental avoidance responding by demonstrating conditional control over extinguished responding by context. This study was conducted using a within-subjects approach that minimized the potential for context-outcome associations to bias responding, and thus, reflects hierarchical control over behavior based on the specific associative status of each tested cue in each training context.

Highlights

Aversive Pavlovian conditioning has been an effective model for human fear and anxiety (Lissek et al, 2005)
The results of this study demonstrate ABA, AAB and ABC renewal of extinguished instrumental avoidance behavior
While many studies of even basic Pavlovian renewal fail to adequately control for context-unconditioned stimulus (US) imbalances, the current study used a well-controlled within-subjects design that equated the associative status of the test contexts by conducting extinction in both locations

Summary

Introduction

Aversive Pavlovian conditioning has been an effective model for human fear and anxiety (Lissek et al, 2005). Using this procedure great advancements in the understanding of the neurobiology that regulate behavior in aversive motivation have been made (Rajbhandari et al, 2017). While research into extinction has produced important findings about how conditioned aversive behavior can be attenuated, it has demonstrated that extinction is not as effective of a treatment as desired (Bouton et al, 2021). During avoidance learning in rodent studies, maladaptive defensive responses (e.g., conditioned freezing/fear) are reduced and gradually replaced with proactive instrumental avoidance responding (e.g., shuttle or lever-press responding) to keep the subject safe and prevent harm.

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Conclusion