Delay Exposure Training Produces Large and Lasting Changes in Impulsive Choice – Why?

项目概要/摘要 延迟贴现描述了由于延迟而导致的后果（收益和损失）的贬值。 当一个延迟结果的价值低于一个更小更快的结果的价值时， 后者是选择-一个冲动的选择。纵向研究表明，这种类型的折扣之前， 预测青少年吸毒，并与不良健康决策模式相关。这些发现 提高减少冲动作为改善公共卫生手段的前景。我们的实验室开发了 一种延迟暴露（DE）训练程序，可以大幅度持久地降低大鼠的冲动性。的 拟议的实验将调查三个行为/认知机制假设为基础的 训练的功效。实验1将评估DE训练的大鼠是否对延迟更耐受（相对于 控制大鼠）通过测量它们从延迟信号刺激的逃避率。实验2将确定DE- 经过训练的大鼠表现出改善的间隔时间（精确度和/或准确度），实验3将评估 DE训练增强延迟强化突发事件检测的假设。识别 DE训练减少冲动的机制很重要，因为它将使研究人员能够 提高减少冲动干预措施的效率和效力。这些干预措施必须有效 如果将其纳入旨在减少冲动的初级预防计划， 这使个体处于成瘾和导致慢性疾病的不良健康决策的风险中（例如， 肥胖症）。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Delay discounting describes the devaluation of consequences (gains and losses) because they are delayed. When the value of a delayed consequence is discounted below the value of a smaller-sooner outcome, the latter is selected – an impulsive choice. Longitudinal studies reveal that this type of discounting precedes and predicts adolescent drug taking and is correlated with a pattern of poor health decision-making. These findings raise the prospect of reducing impulsivity as a means of improving public health. Our laboratory has developed a delay-exposure (DE) training procedure that produces large and lasting reductions in rats' impulsivity. The proposed experiments will investigate three behavioral/cognitive mechanisms hypothesized to underlie the efficacy of DE training. Experiment 1 will evaluate if DE trained rats are more tolerant of delays (relative to control rats) by measuring their rate of escape from delay-signaling stimuli. Experiment 2 will determine if DE- trained rats demonstrate improved interval timing (precision and/or accuracy), and Experiment 3 will evaluate the hypothesis that DE training enhances detection of delayed-reinforcement contingencies. Identifying the mechanism(s) by which DE training reduces impulsivity is important because it will allow researchers to improve the efficiency and efficacy of impulsivity-reducing interventions. These interventions must be efficient and effective if they are to be incorporated into primary prevention programs designed to reduce the impulsivity that puts individual at risk of addictions and the poor health decision-making that leads to chronic disease (e.g., obesity).