Valeri Farmer-Dougan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor in the Departments of

Psychology and Biological Sciences

Illinois State University

Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Tools in Neuroscience!

Behavioral Neuroscience

The behavioral neuroscience laboratory (Felmley 230) focuses on behavioral and neural mechanisms mediating reward optimization in both individual and groups of animals. We are particularly interested in the role of dopamine as a behavioral activator within foraging and matching paradigms. Understanding how organisms optimize reward is important not only for understanding animal behavior, but for understanding human neuropathologies such as addiction, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and attention disorder.

The human brain is the last, and greatest, scientific frontier. It is truly an internal cosmos that lies contained within our skulls. The more than 100 billion nerve cells and trillion supporting cells that make up your brain and mine constitute the most elaborate structure in the known universe.

**--Joel Davis (from Mapping the Mind: The Secrets of the Human Brain and How it Works, 1997)**

Current Research in the Behavioral Neuroscience Lab:

Changes in sensitivity to reward using a Matching Law Paradigm~

The matching law, an optimization model, can be used to measure an animal’s sensitivity to reward. This paradigm may be used to examine the role of DA in choice behavior. DA, considered the neural substrate of reward, appears instead to modulate arousal, which in turn affects sensitivity to reward. Our lab has found that DA, D1 and D2 agonists differentially disrupt sensitivity to reward, suggesting differences in DA receptor functions. The focuses of these projects, then, are the parameters that impact reward sensitivity.
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~This project Funded by NIDA AREA Grant 11530-02-462009719~

Effects of Competition on Matching in an Open Foraging Paradigm~

The matching law and ideal free distribution theories predict that the ratio of time spent at two patches will equal the ratio of food resources obtained at the two patches. Many studies using an open field foraging paradigm have shown overall group matching. Interestingly, individual members of the group do not necessarily match. Rather, some match, others overmatch and still others undermatch, suggesting competition affects individual matching. Few investigations, however, have directly assessed the role of competition on matching. One approach may be to compare matching when the animal forages alone and then with a competitor. It can be predicted that pairing an animal with a higher status competitor will result in undermatching. The animal should show more frequent and/or longer visits to the poorer patch. Alternatively, if the animal is paired with a lower status individual, matching should remain either unchanged or produce overmatching. The present experiment examined matching in pairs of rats foraging at two patches for food resources. Animals were initially exposed to solitary foraging conditions, and then were introduced to a competitor. Data suggest that individual rats matched, and that competition disrupted the initial matching values. The effects of competition on matching are then discussed.

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Behavioral Contrast in Group Foraging~

Multiple schedule behavioral contrast is an inverse relationship between the rate of responding in one component of a multiple schedule and the conditions of reinforcement in the other component (McSweeney and Weatherly, 1998). Positive contrast is said to occur when an increase in responding during occurs in the constant (contrast) component when the conditions of the other (variable) component worsen. This has been well demonstrated with individual animals using a variety of reinforcement situations and across several response manipulanda. It has not, however, been studied with groups of animals in a foraging setting. In the present experiment, five rats were placed in a large open foraging box in which two feeders at opposite ends released food pellets according to a multiple VI VI schedule. The rats were exposed to three baseline sessions (MULT VI 15 VI 15), 5 sessions of a contrast condition (MULT VI 15 VI 900), and then returned to the baseline condition for three additional sessions. Data suggested a strong group behavioral contrast effect.

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Effects of Dopamine Agonists and Antagonists on Concurrent Schedule Behavioral Contrast: Attenuating or Intensifying Habituation Effects~
Concurrent schedule behavioral contrast is an inverse relationship between the rate of responding in one component of a concurrent schedule and the conditions of reinforcement in the other component (McSweeney and Weatherly, 1998). Positive contrast is said to occur when an increase in responding during occurs in the constant (contrast) component when the conditions of the other (variable) component worsen. While several theories exist to explain the phenomenon, one model that of habituation, is currently the dominant model. This theory states that within session changes in operant responses occur because subjects sensitize and then habituate to the reinforcer. If this is true, than drugs which alter the arousal state of the animal should increase or decrease sensitization to the reinforcer, and thus either attenuate or intensify the contrast effect. This is the focus of the present set of experiments. We will attempt to manipulate arousal using a general dopamine agonist, apomorphine, a DA D1 agonist, SKF38393, and a DA D2 agonist, quinpirole. It is expected that quinpirole should intensify while apomorphine and SKF38393 should attenuate the behavior contrast
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Optimal Foraging, Competition and Dopamine.

Matching in individual animals, and foraging in groups of animals is established. However, little data exist examining the role of the individual in group foraging. DA may also play a role in group foraging. For example, changes in DA levels have been found between solitary and group-reared animals, and rats presented with a more dominant rat have show decreased DA levels. Thus, my lab is conducting a series of studies examining the role of individual animal behavior on group foraging, and how changes in DA may alter group matching.

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Development of a Predictive Neural Deficit Behavior Inventory.
My lab has recently developed an novel avoidance task using fox urine paired with a predictive stimulus. Behavioral changes in avoidance pre- to post-stroke are then paired with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and histological analyses. Our hope is to develop a behavior inventory predictive of neural injury that may be given within 6 to 8 hours of the neural insult. Predictive assessment of neural damage could potentially direct the type and improve and guide the use of interventions for animals, and eventually humans who have suffered a cerebral infarct.



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Team Behavioral Neuroscience~

Faculty~

    Dr. Valeri Farmer-Dougan     Dr. Paul Garris        Dr. Byron Heidenreich

Graduate Students~

Katrina Lakin   Leslie Wise    Chris Sorric    Ramya Chandrashekar Jon Davis    Matt Richardson

Undergraduate Students~

Andy Mided    Jamie Maag

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Presentations and Publications~

Recent Publications:

Borre, Yuliya; Chandrashekar, Seshanand; Dougan, James D.; Heidenreich, Byron A.; Farmer-Dougan, Valeri. (2007). Changes in sensitivity of response distributions to changing reinforcement ratios during exposure to ephedrine, caffeine, and ephedrine-caffeine combinations. Behavioural Pharmacology, 18, 609-622

Bratcher, N. A., Farmer-Dougan, V., Dougan, J.D., Heidenreich, B.A., & Garris, P.A. (2005). The role of dopamine in reinforcement: Changes in reinforcement sensitivity induced by D1-type, D2- type, and nonselective dopamine receptor agonists. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84, 371-399.

Farmer-Dougan, V.A. & Dougan, J.D. (2005). Behavioral Contrast in a Group Foraging Paradigm. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 18, 341-358.

Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Chandrashekar, S., Stutzman, D., Bradham, K., & Dougan, J.D. (2004). Fox Urine as an Aversive Stimulus: Modification of a passive avoidance task. Journal of General Psychology, 132, 313-320

     Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Dougan, J.D., Rokosik, S., Lewis, J., & Garris, P.A. (2004). Locomotion induced by non-contingent intracranial stimulation: comparison to psychomotor stimulant. Behavioral Processes, 67, 245-261.

    Martin, J.C., Dougan, J.D., Wu, Q., Stanisz, L. A, Martyn, S., Rokosik, S., Garris, P.A., & Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (2004). Locomotion induced by non-contingent intracranial electrical stimulation: Dopamine dependence and general characteristics. Behavioral Processes, 67, 131-146

     Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Bratcher, N. A., Dougan, J.D., & Heidenreich, B.A. (2002). Disruption of matching behavior in an operant conditioning paradigm by dopamine D1 but not D2 agonists. Society for Neuroscience   Abstracts, online.

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Recent Presentations:

Wise, L.M., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Calderala, A., Richardson, M. & Craven, S. (2008). Amphetamine Attenuation of Reward Sensitivity: Differences Between Foraging Rats and Hamsters. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

    Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Wise, L.M., & Daivs, J. (2008). Changes in Magnitude of Behavioral Contrast Elicited by DA D1, D2, D3 and General Agonist Exposure. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

    Wise, L., FArmer-Dougan, V.A., Garris, P., & Casto, J. (2008). Reduced Sensitivity to the Locomotor Effects of Amphetamine in Hamsters Compared to Rats. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

    Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Dougan, J.D. (2008). Individual Differences in Reward Sensitivity during Group Foraging: Does Competitiveness Predict Sensitivity to Reward?.Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (2007). Individual Differences in Reward Sensitivity during Paired and Group Foraging: Does Competitiveness Predict Sensitivity to Reward? Invited address at the Mid America Association for Behavior Analysis, Milwaukee, WI.

Covey, D., Linker, A., Garris, G., Farmer-Dougan, V. (2007). Paw preference as a predictor of Prefrontal cortex, striatum and Nucleus Accumbens DA concentrations. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Diego, CA.

Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Chandrashekar,S., Lakin, K., & Wise, W. (2007). Effects of DA D1, D2 and D3 agonists on k, Ro and Work Effort. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Diego, CA.

Lakin, K., & Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (2007). Effects of Rearing in Enriched Versus Impoverished Environments on Operant and Open-Field Sensitivity to Reward. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Diego, CA.

     Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Chandrashekar, S., Toelle, M., Knight, R., Martinez, D., & Boyle, C. (2006). Changes in response topography and sensitivity to reward during exposure to DA D1, D2, and D3 receptor agonists. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA.

Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Freytag, J., Lakin, K., White, C. (2006). Manipulation of social status using caffeine and ephedrine combinations: Effects of individual and group matching in an optimal foraging paradigm. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA.

      Chandrashekar, S., Brown,C., Ross,S., Borre,Y., & Farmer-Dougan, V. (2005).Changes in Within-Session Contrast: Does exposure to a DA agonist or antagonist alter habituation? Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

     Farmer-Dougan, V., Chandrashekar,S., Freske,K., Davis, S., Grzesik, M., & Smith, C. (2005). Changes in Response Topography and Sensitivity to Reward during Exposure to DA D1, D2, and D3 Receptor Agonists. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

     Farmer-Dougan, V., Knight, R., Toelle,M., Lynch, T., Krishnaswamy, E., Chandrashekar, S. (2005). Changes in Sensitivity to Reward during DA D1, D2 and D3 receptor agonist exposure: Differential Effects of DA receptor subtypes. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL

     Krishnaswamy, K., Mucher, G., Thompson , T., Higgins, W., Malczyk, T & Farmer-Dougan, V. (2005). Changes in Social Status during direct DA agonist Exposure: Effects on Individual and Group Matching in an Optimal Foraging Paradigm. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.
    Alexeeva, Y., Chandrashekar, S., and Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (2004). Effects of Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Their Combination on the Reinforcement Sensitivity of the Rats. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, Ma.
    Attivissimo, A., Dougan, J.D., Dougan, E., Farmer-Dougan , V.A. (2004). Matching to Sample with Horses. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, Ma.
    Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Lynch, E., Morris, A., & Martin, J. (2004). Effects of Competition on Matching in an Open Foraging Paradigm. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, Ma.
    Desai, B., Bradham, K., Fincham, B., Anderson, M., Osterling, D., Farner, S., Kattner, K., & Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (2003). Behavioral assessment of induced cerebral ishemia: Type of induction but not size or location matters. Poster presentation at the annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.

    Farmer-Dougan, V.A., Bratcher, N.A., Dougan, J.D., Thompson, H.A., Martin, J.A., & Heidenreich, B. (2003). Changes in matching during exposure to dopamine D1, D2 and general DA agonists. Poster presentation at the annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.

   Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Dougan, J.D. (2003). Do changes in response topography account for changes in matching during exposure to Dopamine D1 and D2 agonists? Poster presentation at the annual Conference of the International Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.
   Bratcher, N., Martin, J., Parker, J.A., Wheeler, M., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P. (Ocotber, 2001). Parameters of ESB Reward: Maintaining the reinforcing value of electrical brain stimulation across time”. Poster presented at the Midwestern Association for Behavior Analysis, Bloomington, Illinois

    Bratcher, N., Martin, J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P. (May, 2001). Parameters of ESB Reward: Maintaining the reinforcing value of electrical brain stimulation across time”. ”. Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.

    Fleming, Erin, Munson, B., Martin, J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P.(May, 2001). “Relations between ESB Current Strength and Behavioral Activation across two behavioral paradigms. ” Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.

    Lewis, J., Martin, J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., and Garris. P. (May, 2001). Topography of behavioral activation during Noncontingent electrical brain stimulation: Superstitious behavior produced by Dopamine”? Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.

    Rokosik, S., Martin, J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P. (May, 2001). Variations in ESB current strength as a measure of reinforcer value: T-maze and operant responding as a function of ESB current strength”. Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.

    Martin, J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P. (May, 2001). Does electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) produce behavioral activation in Noncontingent settings”?. ”. Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.

    Martin, J., Garris, P., Wu, Q., Stanisz, L., Schmaltz., L. & Farmer-Dougan, V.A. (May, 2000). “Experimenter Applied Brain Stimulation: A reinforcing stimulus which elicits behavioral activation”. Presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis, Washington, D.C.

    Martin, J., Dougan., J., Farmer-Dougan, V.A., & Garris, P. (November, 2000). “The role of dopamine in reinforced behavior: Attention or reward mechanism?” Presented at the Annual Conference for the Behavior Analysis Society of Illinois (BASIL), Orland Park, IL



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Related Links~

Society for Neuroscience              Association for Behavior Analysis

Association for Neuroscience Departments and Programs Neuroscience for Psych Majors

Illinois State University Neuroscience Program





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