Learned Avoidance in the Male Syrian Hamster: Investigating the Outcome of a Glucocorticoid Antagonist on Reconsolidation

• Main Authors: Erik Haugsnes, Alicia Askew
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations 2015-02-01
• Series: Journal of European Psychology Students
• Subjects: syrian hamsters, learned avoidance, mifepristone, reconsolidation, glucocorticoids
• Online Access: https://jeps.efpsa.org/articles/310

<p>In this experiment, we used our Conflict Alleyway Apparatus and a glucocorticoid antagonist, mifepristone, to investigate the role of glucocorticoids in the reconsolidation of learned avoidance in defeated male Syrian hamsters. Subjects were tested for memory deficits 48 hours and 96 hours after the drug/vehicle was administered. It were hypothesized that mifepristone administration would produce memory deficits when the defeat memory had been reactivated, and that this deficit would be present 48 hours and 96 hours after the administration. Prolonged deficits that are dependent upon memory reactivation would suggest that glucocorticoids play a role in reconsolidation of learned avoidance. Our results indicated a strong evidence for learned avoidance after defeat; however, we did not find any significant drug effect. </p>