Parameters of novelty, shock predictability and response contigency in corticosterone release in the rat.

Abstract Exposure of male C.S.F. rats to novel apparatus raised plasma corticosterone levels, but the effect habituated. Two aspects of shock predictability were studied: temporal regularity vs irregularity of shock and presence or absence of a warning signal. Irregular shock produced a greater corticosterone response than regular shock but only if both were signalled. The addition of an escape contingency to a signalled, irregular shock resulted in lowered escape latency but no corresponding change in corticosterone levels occurred. In most experimental treatments in which shock was used the corticosterone levels did not habituate even after 4 days of treatment. The results were discussed in terms of: (i) role of psychological component in psychosomatic stress, (ii) the conflict of data between behavioural and physiological measures of aversiveness, and (iii) possible neuroendocrine pathways in psychological stress.

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