Author(s): Morgado, Pedro ; Marques, Fernanda ; Silva, Miguel ; Sousa, Nuno ; Cerqueira, João
Date: 2014
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/29624
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Project/scholarship: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/5876-PPCDTI/111814/PT ; info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/SFRH/SFRH%2FSINTD%2F60129%2F2009/PT;
Subject(s): Decision-making; Dopamine agonists; Risk-taking; Rodent models; Uncertainty; Environmental cues; Science & Technology
This paper presents a novel rodent decision-making task that explores uncertainty, independently of expectation and predictability. Using a 5-hole operating box, adult male Wistar rats were given choices between a small certain (safe) food reward and a large uncertain (risk) food reward. We found that animals strongly preferred the safe option when it had a fixed position or was cued with a light in a random placement scheme, but had no preference for safe or risk options when the latter were associated with light. Importantly, when the reward was manipulated animals could perceive alterations in the outcome value and biased their choice pattern to the most profitable option. In addition, we found that the D2/D3 agonist quinpirole biased all decisions toward risk in this paradigm. Finally, a c-fos analysis revealed that several brain areas known to be involved in decision-making mechanisms, including the medial prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens and the striatum, were activated by the task. In summary, this paradigm is a useful and highly reliable tool to explore decision-making processes in contexts of uncertainty.
Pedro Morgado is supported by a fellowship "SFRH/SINTD/60129/2009" funded by FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology. Supported by FEDER funds through Operational program for competitive factors-COMPETE and by national funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology to project "PTDC/SAU-NSC/111814/2009."
