Signaled reinforcing brain stimulation facilitates operant behavior under schedules of intermittent reinforcement

Abstract

When single, rewarding brain stimulations were mnade predictable by preceding them with a brief warning signal, operant behavior was established and maintained under fixed ratio 200, variable ratio 30, fixed interval 3-minute, variable interval 2-minute, and differential reinforcement of low rate 20-second schedules of intermittent reinforcement. When the warning signal was removed, overall response rate declined in all but the fixed ratio schedules and then returned to the previous rate when the signal was reinstated.