@article{ref1,
title="Autoshaping in adolescence enhances sign-tracking behavior in adulthood: Impact on ethanol consumption",
journal="Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior",
year="2011",
author="Anderson, Rachel I. and Spear, Linda P.",
volume="98",
number="2",
pages="250-260",
abstract="Autoshaping refers to a procedure during which a cue repeatedly paired with a reward elicits a conditioned response directed at either the reward delivery location (&quot;goal-tracking&quot;) or the cue itself (&quot;sign- tracking&quot;). Individual differences in expression of sign-tracking behavior may be predictive of voluntary ethanol intake. The present study was designed to explore the development of differences in sign-tracking behavior in adolescent and adult male and female rats in an 8-day autoshaping procedure. Consistency of sign-tracking and goal-tracking across age was examined by retesting adolescents again in adulthood and comparing their adult data with animals tested only as adults to explore pre-exposure effects on adult responding. In order to assess the relationship between sign-tracking and ethanol intake, voluntary ethanol consumption was measured in an 8-day, 2-hr limited access drinking paradigm following the 8-day autoshaping procedure in adulthood. Animals tested as adolescents showed notably less sign-tracking behavior than animals tested as adults, and sign-tracking behavior was not correlated across age. Animals exposed to the autoshaping procedure as adolescents demonstrated greater sign-tracking behavior as adults when compared to control animals tested only in adulthood. When examining the relationship in adulthood between sign-tracking and ethanol intake, an increase in ethanol intake among sign-trackers was found only in animals pre-exposed to autoshaping as adolescents. Whether or not these results reflect an adolescent-specific experience effect is unclear without further work to determine whether comparable pre-exposure effects are seen if the initial autoshaping sessions are delayed into adulthood.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0091-3057",
doi="10.1016/j.pbb.2011.01.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2011.01.004"
}