Despite the fact that TRPV1 receptors are widely expressed in brain structures such as the hippocampus, its functions remain largely unknown. In the present study, we have investigated the possible modulatory role of the hippocampal endovanilloid system upon memory consolidation of two different behavioral tasks in rats. Post-training infusion of the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine disrupted memor...

The present study was undertaken to determine whether aversiveness contributes to startle potentiation in anticipation of affective pictures above and beyond the effects of emotional arousal. Further, participants high in trait anxious apprehension, which is characterized by worry about the future, were expected to show especially pronounced anticipatory startle responses. Startle blink reflex ...

Numerous human and animal studies indirectly implicate neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the encoding of the affective consequences of nociceptor stimulation. No causal evidence, however, has been put forth linking the ACC specifically to this function. Using a rodent pain assay that combines the hind-paw formalin model with the place-conditioning paradigm, we measured a learned...

Numerous national surveys and surveillance programs have shown a substantial rise in the abuse of prescription opioids over the past 15 years. Accessibility of these drugs to non-patients is the result of their unlawful channeling from legal sources to the illicit marketplace (diversion). Empirical data on diversion remain absent from the literature. This paper examines abusers' sources of dive...

The phasic dopamine reward prediction error response is a major brain signal underlying learning, approach and decision making. This dopamine response consists of two components that reflect, initially, stimulus detection from physical impact and, subsequenttly, reward valuation; dopamine activations by punishers reflect physical impact rather than aversiveness. The dopamine reward signal is di...

We explore the reliability and validity of a self-report measure of procrastination and conscientiousness designed for use with thirdto fifth-grade students. The responses of 120 students are compared with teacher and parent ratings of the student. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were also used to examine the structure of the scale. Procrastination and conscientiousness are highly ...

Five groups of eight rats each were trained in a one-way avoidance apparatus, given differential posttraining exposure to shock' and/or nonshoek sides, and extinguished. During posttraining exposure fear responses were recorded using a time-sampling method. Results showed that prevention of the avoidance response in the presence of shock cues facilitated extinction; but exposure to nonshoek cue...

We find that the pleasure of a gain is generally greater than the pleasure of a nonloss and that the pain of a loss is generally greater than the pain of a nongain. These patterns were found when participants reported both how they would feel if these outcomes were to happen (Studies 1 and 2) and how they actually felt when they happened (Study 3). Our results also suggest that it is stronger c...