Lesions of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus differentially affect sign- and goal-tracking conditioned responses.

ABSTRACT: Recently, evidence has emerged suggesting a role for the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in the processing of reward-associated cues. However, the specific role of the PVT in these processes has yet to be elucidated. Here we use an animal model that captures individual variation in response to discrete reward-associated cues to further assess the role of the PVT in stimulus-reward learning. When rats are exposed to a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm, wherein a discrete cue predicts food reward, two distinct conditioned responses emerge. Some rats, termed sign-trackers, approach and manipulate the cue, whereas others, termed goal-trackers, approach the location of reward delivery upon cue presentation. For both sign- and goal-trackers the cue is a predictor, but only for sign-t

SUBMITTER: Haight JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4596770 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature