Rewarding vs Aversive Intracranial Stimulation Administered during Flooding (Response Prevention) in Rats

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Abstract
3 groups of hooded rats were given daily cycles of avoidance-training-flooding-extinction for 4 consecutive days. Flooding or response prevention consisted of thwarting the learned avoidance response while forcing S to remain in the feared situation. On some days, one group received pulsing rewarding brain stimulation during flooding, while a second group received aversive intracranial stimulation (ICS). A third group also had implanted electrodes but never received any ICS during flooding. The results indicated that rewarding ICS increased the efficacy of flooding in producing cessation of avoidance-responding in extinction. Aversive ICS similarly administered had no significant effect (relative to the control group). Theoretical implications were discussed.