scholarly journals Reversal Learning Performance in the XY∗ Mouse Model of Klinefelter and Turner Syndromes

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawn M. Aarde ◽  
Haley Hrncir ◽  
Arthur P. Arnold ◽  
James D. Jentsch
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Learning Performance

scholarly journals Reversal learning performance in the XY* mouse model of Klinefelter and Turner Syndromes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawn M. Aarde ◽  
Haley Hrncir ◽  
Arthur P. Arnold ◽  
J. David Jentsch
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Sex Chromosome ◽  
Klinefelter Syndrome ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Attentional Dysfunction ◽  
Behavioral Impairments ◽  
Learning Impairment

ABSTRACTKlinefelter syndrome (KS; 47, XXY) and Turner syndrome (TS; 45, XO) are caused by two relatively common sex chromosome aneuploidies. These conditions are associated with an increased odds of neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as impairments in cognition that include learning delays, attentional dysfunction and impulsivity. We studied cognitive functions in the XY* mouse model, which allows comparison of XXY to XY males (KS model), and XO to XX females (TS model). We evaluated adult mice with and without gonads, using a version of an operant reversal-learning task (RLT) that can be used to measure various facets of learning, impulsivity and attention. In the KS model, only one measure related to impulsivity – perseverative responding under reversal conditions – reliably discriminated gonadally intact XXY and XY mice. In contrast, a fundamental learning impairment (more trials to criterion in acquisition phase) in XXY mice, as compared to XY, was observed in gonadectomized subjects. No other task measures showed differences consistent with KS. In the TS mouse model, XO mice did not show a pattern of results consistent with TS, similar to past observations. Thus, the application of this RLT to these XY* models reveals only limited behavioral impairments relevant to KS.

scholarly journals Behavioral flexibility in a mouse model for obsessive‐compulsive disorder: Impaired Pavlovian reversal learning in SAPAP3 mutants

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. e12557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastijn J.G. van den Boom ◽  
Adriana H. Mooij ◽  
Ieva Misevičiūtė ◽  
Damiaan Denys ◽  
Ingo Willuhn
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Behavioral Flexibility ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

scholarly journals Heritabilities and co-variation among cognitive traits in red junglefowl

2018 ◽  
Vol 373 (1756) ◽  
pp. 20170285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Sorato ◽  
Josefina Zidar ◽  
Laura Garnham ◽  
Alastair Wilson ◽  
Hanne Løvlie
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Associative Learning ◽  
Genetic Control ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Discriminative Learning ◽  
Red Junglefowl ◽  
Judgement Bias ◽  
Cognitive Traits

Natural selection can act on between-individual variation in cognitive abilities, yet evolutionary responses depend on the presence of underlying genetic variation. It is, therefore, crucial to determine the relative extent of genetic versus environmental control of these among-individual differences in cognitive traits to understand their causes and evolutionary potential. We investigated heritability of associative learning performance and of a cognitive judgement bias (optimism), as well as their covariation, in a captive pedigree-bred population of red junglefowl ( Gallus gallus , n > 300 chicks over 5 years). We analysed performance in discriminative and reversal learning (two facets of associative learning), and cognitive judgement bias, by conducting animal models to disentangle genetic from environmental contributions. We demonstrate moderate heritability for reversal learning, and weak to no heritability for optimism and discriminative learning, respectively. The two facets of associative learning were weakly negatively correlated, consistent with hypothesized trade-offs underpinning individual cognitive styles. Reversal, but not discriminative learning performance, was associated with judgement bias; less optimistic individuals reversed a previously learnt association faster. Together these results indicate that genetic and environmental contributions differ among traits. While modular models of cognitive abilities predict a lack of common genetic control for different cognitive traits, further investigation is required to fully ascertain the degree of covariation between a broader range of cognitive traits and the extent of any shared genetic control. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities’.

scholarly journals Cuttlefish exert self-control in a delay of gratification task

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1946) ◽  
pp. 20203161
Author(s):  
Alexandra K. Schnell ◽  
Markus Boeckle ◽  
Micaela Rivera ◽  
Nicola S. Clayton ◽  
Roger T. Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Delay Of Gratification ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Delayed Gratification ◽  
Delayed Reward ◽  
Alternative Stimulus

The ability to exert self-control varies within and across taxa. Some species can exert self-control for several seconds whereas others, such as large-brained vertebrates, can tolerate delays of up to several minutes. Advanced self-control has been linked to better performance in cognitive tasks and has been hypothesized to evolve in response to specific socio-ecological pressures. These pressures are difficult to uncouple because previously studied species face similar socio-ecological challenges. Here, we investigate self-control and learning performance in cuttlefish, an invertebrate that is thought to have evolved under partially different pressures to previously studied vertebrates. To test self-control, cuttlefish were presented with a delay maintenance task, which measures an individual's ability to forgo immediate gratification and sustain a delay for a better but delayed reward. Cuttlefish maintained delay durations for up to 50–130 s. To test learning performance, we used a reversal-learning task, whereby cuttlefish were required to learn to associate the reward with one of two stimuli and then subsequently learn to associate the reward with the alternative stimulus. Cuttlefish that delayed gratification for longer had better learning performance. Our results demonstrate that cuttlefish can tolerate delays to obtain food of higher quality comparable to that of some large-brained vertebrates.

scholarly journals Learning and motor inhibitory control in crows and domestic chickens

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia A. F. Wascher ◽  
Katie Allen ◽  
Georgine Szipl
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Learning Criterion ◽  
Behavioural Flexibility ◽  
Learning Experiment

Cognitive abilities allow animals to navigate through complex, fluctuating environments. In the present study, we tested the performance of a captive group of eight crows, Corvus corone and 10 domestic chickens, Gallus gallus domesticus , in the cylinder task, as a test of motor inhibitory control and reversal learning as a measure of learning ability and behavioural flexibility. Four crows and nine chickens completed the cylinder task, eight crows and six chickens completed the reversal learning experiment. Crows performed better in the cylinder task compared with chickens. In the reversal learning experiment, species did not significantly differ in the number of trials until the learning criterion was reached. The performance in the reversal learning experiment did not correlate with performance in the cylinder task in chickens. Our results suggest crows to possess better motor inhibitory control compared with chickens. By contrast, learning performance in a reversal learning task did not differ between the species, indicating similar levels of behavioural flexibility. Interestingly, we describe notable individual differences in performance. We stress the importance not only to compare cognitive performance between species but also between individuals of the same species when investigating the evolution of cognitive skills.

scholarly journals Reversal of a Spatial Discrimination Task in the Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris)

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Bublitz ◽  
Guido Dehnhardt ◽  
Frederike D. Hanke
Keyword(s):  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Positive Reinforcement ◽  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Behavioral Flexibility ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Spatial Discrimination ◽  
Visual Signal ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Learning Criterion ◽  
Incorrect Choice

Reversal learning requires an animal to learn to discriminate between two stimuli but reverse its responses to these stimuli every time it has reached a learning criterion. Thus, different from pure discrimination experiments, reversal learning experiments require the animal to respond to stimuli flexibly, and the reversal learning performance can be taken as an illustration of the animal's cognitive abilities. We herein describe a reversal learning experiment involving a simple spatial discrimination task, choosing the right or left side, with octopus. When trained with positive reinforcement alone, most octopuses did not even learn the original task. The learning behavior changed drastically when incorrect choices were indicated by a visual signal: the octopuses learned the task within a few sessions and completed several reversals thereby decreasing the number of errors needed to complete a reversal successively. A group of octopus trained with the incorrect-choice signal directly acquired the task quickly and reduced their performances over reversals. Our results indicate that octopuses are able to perform successfully in a reversal experiment based on a spatial discrimination showing progressive improvement, however, without reaching the ultimate performance. Thus, depending on the experimental context, octopus can show behavioral flexibility in a reversal learning task, which goes beyond mere discrimination learning.

scholarly journals Seasonal variation in reversal learning reveals greater female cognitive flexibility in African striped mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Céline Rochais ◽  
Hoël Hotte ◽  
Neville Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Rhabdomys Pumilio ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
Situational Demands

AbstractCognitive flexibility describes the ability of animals to alter cognitively mediated behaviour in response to changing situational demands, and can vary according to prevailing environemental conditions and individual caracteristics. In the present study, we investigated (1) how learning and reversal learning performance changes between seasons, and (2) how cognitive flexibility is related to sex in a free-living small mammal. We studied 107 African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio, in an arid semi-desert, 58 during the hot dry summer with low food availability, and 49 during the cold wet winter with higher food availability. We used an escape box task to test for learning and reversal learning performance. We found that learning and reversal learning efficiency varied seasonally by sex: females tested in summer were faster at solving both learning and reversal tasks than males tested in winter. Performance varied within sex: males tested in winter showed faster learning compared to males tested in summer. During reversal learning, females tested in summer were more efficient and solve the task faster compared to females tested in winter. We suggest that seasonal cognitive performance could be related to sex-specific behavioural characteristics of the species, resulting in adaptation for living in harsh environmental conditions.

Individual variability in visual discrimination and reversal learning performance in common marmosets

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 136-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Takemoto ◽  
Miki Miwa ◽  
Reiko Koba ◽  
Chieko Yamaguchi ◽  
Hiromi Suzuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Visual Discrimination ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Common Marmosets
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