A time course analysis of satiety-induced instrumental outcome devaluation.

1. Learn Behav. 2016 Dec;44(4):347-355. doi: 10.3758/s13420-016-0226-1.

A time course analysis of satiety-induced instrumental outcome devaluation.

Parkes SL(1)(2)(3), Marchand AR(4)(5), Ferreira G(6)(5), Coutureau E(4)(5).

Author information:
(1)INRA, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée, UMR 1286, 33076, Bordeaux, France.
.
(2)CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine, UMR
5287, 33076, Bordeaux, France. .
(3)Université de Bordeaux, 33076, Bordeaux, France. .
(4)CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine, UMR
5287, 33076, Bordeaux, France.
(5)Université de Bordeaux, 33076, Bordeaux, France.
(6)INRA, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée, UMR 1286, 33076, Bordeaux, France.

Sensory-specific satiety is commonly used in studies of decision making to
selectively devalue a food reward. Devaluation is reflected in an immediate
reduction in the subsequent intake of the food and in the performance of actions
that gain access to that food. Despite its frequent use, the lasting effects of
satiety-induced devaluation on instrumental actions are unknown. Here, we
examined the time course and contextual dependency of sensory-specific
satiety-induced devaluation on instrumental responding and consumption. Rats
were trained to perform two instrumental actions for two distinct food rewards.
Then, one of the instrumental outcomes was provided ad libitum for 1 hour in
separate feeding cages and the effect of this devaluation was assessed 0, 2, or
5 hours after satiation. At a delay of 0 or 2 hours, both intake and
instrumental responding were sensitive to the satiety treatment. That is, rats
consumed less of the devalued outcome and responded less for the devalued
outcome than for the valued outcome. By contrast, after 5 hours, rats showed
sensitivity to devaluation in consumption but not in instrumental responding.
Strikingly, sensitivity to devaluation was restored for the instrumental
response after a 5 hour delay when devaluation was performed in the instrumental
context. These results indicate that, in rats, specific satiety-induced
devaluation endures and is context-independent for up to 2 hours post-satiation.
At longer delays, the impact of sensory-specific satiety on instrumental
responding is context-dependent, suggesting that contextual cues may be required
for the value of specific outcomes to control instrumental responding.

DOI: 10.3758/s13420-016-0226-1
PMID: 27129787 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus