Impaired instrumental choice in crib-biting horses (Equus caballus)

Behav Brain Res. 2008 Aug 5;191(1):137-40. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2008.03.009. Epub 2008 Mar 16.

Abstract

Horses displaying an oral stereotypy were tested on an instrumental choice paradigm to examine differences in learning from non-stereotypic counterparts. Stereotypic horses are known to have dysfunction of the dorsomedial striatum, and lesion studies have shown that this region may mediate response-outcome learning. The paradigm was specifically applied in order to examine learning that requires maintenance of response-outcome judgements. The non-stereotypic horses learned, over three sessions, to choose a more immediate reinforcer, whereas the stereotypic horses failed to do so. This suggests an initial behavioural correlate for dorsomedial striatum dysregulation in the stereotypy phenotype.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Choice Behavior / physiology*
  • Conditioning, Operant
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Horses
  • Reinforcement Schedule
  • Reinforcement, Psychology
  • Stereotyped Behavior / physiology*