The Effects of Pain on Wheel Running as Reinforcement

Bianchin, Branygan

The Effects of Pain on Wheel Running as Reinforcement

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57566

Author(s)

Bianchin, Branygan

Date Issued

April 10, 2024

Abstract

There is a phenomenon among athletes where they will continue to participate in their sport despite experiencing pain (Mayer et al., 2018). Exercise is known to be reinforcing, as wheel running functions as positive reinforcement in rats (Iverson, 1993; Pierce et al., 1986). Following a period of habituation, rats were exposed to a progressive ratio (PR) schedule with 60 seconds of wheel running as reinforcement. The ratio began at three and was incremented by three. The rats were then placed on a fixed ratio (FR) schedule reinforced with 60 seconds of wheel running and an overlapping variable interval (VI) 30-second schedule for each shock intensity: zero milliamperes (mA) and 0.2 mA. The ratio requirement for the FR schedule was dependent on the individual’s average breakpoint from the PR schedules. Response rates and running rates were recorded for each procedure. It was hypothesized that wheel running would function as a positive reinforcer in male Sprauge-Dawley rats and exposure to mild footshocks would lower the animal’s response rate and running rate. Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in response rate or running rate with shock exposure; although there was a significant correlation between the rat’s average breakpoint from the PR tests and their change in response rate with shock exposure (p < .05). These results contradict findings from previous studies investigating other forms of overlapping reinforcement and punishment and further support the notion of a complex interaction between exercise and pain (Bouzas, 1978; Church & Raymond, 1967; Lima et al., 2017). The present study was designed to determine to what extent exercise may function as a reinforcing event and how acute pain affects the value of reinforcement. Future studies should address the mechanism behind this phenomenon.

Major

Neuroscience

Psychology

Honors

Neuroscience, 2024

Psychology, 2024

First Reader(s)

Clark, Rodney D.