Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.

The platform-mediated active avoidance (PMA) task has been used to study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of a decision-based form of active avoidance. Across 10 days of PMA conditioning, rats learn to avoid a tone-signaled footshock by moving to a safe platform at the cost of forfeiting sucrose...

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Main Authors: Cassandra Kramer, Shannon Ruble, Troy D Fort, Lexe West, Maria M Diehl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321776
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author Cassandra Kramer
Shannon Ruble
Troy D Fort
Lexe West
Maria M Diehl
author_facet Cassandra Kramer
Shannon Ruble
Troy D Fort
Lexe West
Maria M Diehl
author_sort Cassandra Kramer
collection DOAJ
description The platform-mediated active avoidance (PMA) task has been used to study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of a decision-based form of active avoidance. Across 10 days of PMA conditioning, rats learn to avoid a tone-signaled footshock by moving to a safe platform at the cost of forfeiting sucrose reward. Prior studies utilizing the PMA task involved rats learning to avoid alone in a solitary context, but we have recently modified the task to include a social context to determine how social cues may influence PMA acquisition. Additionally, we report novel measures of social interaction that occur during Social Partner PMA conditioning. This protocol provides a detailed methodology for studying active avoidance within solitary and social contexts, as well as key considerations when employing the PMA task.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-218c8a86c42443a59430093d775badea2025-08-20T03:11:52ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01204e032177610.1371/journal.pone.0321776Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.Cassandra KramerShannon RubleTroy D FortLexe WestMaria M DiehlThe platform-mediated active avoidance (PMA) task has been used to study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of a decision-based form of active avoidance. Across 10 days of PMA conditioning, rats learn to avoid a tone-signaled footshock by moving to a safe platform at the cost of forfeiting sucrose reward. Prior studies utilizing the PMA task involved rats learning to avoid alone in a solitary context, but we have recently modified the task to include a social context to determine how social cues may influence PMA acquisition. Additionally, we report novel measures of social interaction that occur during Social Partner PMA conditioning. This protocol provides a detailed methodology for studying active avoidance within solitary and social contexts, as well as key considerations when employing the PMA task.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321776
spellingShingle Cassandra Kramer
Shannon Ruble
Troy D Fort
Lexe West
Maria M Diehl
Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
PLoS ONE
title Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
title_full Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
title_fullStr Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
title_full_unstemmed Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
title_short Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats.
title_sort modifying the platform mediated avoidance task a new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321776
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