Behavioural Testing for the Study of Impulsivity in Rats

Abstract: The present work aims to prepare a study that will investigate the role of serotonin in respect to impulsive behaviour in rats. The methodology followed employs behavioural testing, based on operant conditioning, which will be later combined with optogenetic stimulations. The stimulations will be applied to the animals in order to influence their serotonergic system. For the implementation of this project, an experimental set up was built that consists of an operant behavioural box, connected through microcontrollers with a computer and a laser. Also, three different behavioural protocols were designed: Autoshaping, Cue Matching and Peak Interval. Autoshaping has a training character, whereas the other two tasks are used in order to study the different aspects of impulsive behaviour. The results without the laser stimulations that will be obtained from these experimental tasks will be used as control, in order to allow the comparison with the results from the experiments employing the laser stimulations.