Learned fear, emotional reactivity and fear of heights: A factor analytic map from a large F2 intercross of Roman rat strains

Raúl Aguilar*, Luis Gil, Jonathan Flint, Jeffrey A. Gray, Gerard R. Dawson, Peter Driscoll, Lydia Giménez-Llort, Rosa M. Escorihuela, Alberto Fernández-Teruel, Adolf Tobeña

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

60 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Anxiety-related behaviours were evaluated across various tests in a 800 F2-intercross of the Roman high- and low-avoidance inbred rats. These tests either evoke unlearned (open field [OF]; plus-maze [PM]; hole-board [HB]; spontaneous activity [A]; and acoustic startle reflex [ASR]) or learned (classical fear conditioning [CFC]; and shuttlebox avoidance conditioning [SAC]), anxious/fearful responses. Using factor analysis (oblique rotation), we obtained a six-fold solution with 14 variables derived from all tests. These six factors represented SAC, CFC, PM anxiety, PM and OF activity, ASR anxiety, plus a mixed whole of anxious and activity variables (from OF and A), respectively. In searching for a smaller number of meaningful factors, we applied a three-factor solution that coherently corresponded with differentiated facets of fearfulness, rather than with the tests. Results showed that (1) measures of SAC and CFC strongly loaded onto Factor 1, labelled as 'Learned Fear'; (2) a blend of almost all variables loaded onto Factor 2, called 'Emotional Reactivity'; and (3) open arm behaviour in the PM loaded onto Factor 3, called 'Fear of Heights.' After discussing limitations of this apparently consistent behavioural map of anxiety, we advance some connections between those factors with quantitative trait loci candidates (genetic markers) as detected in the same sample [14].

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)17-26
Number of pages10
JournalBrain Research Bulletin
Volume57
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2002

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Aversive learning
  • Emotional reactivity
  • Factor analysis
  • Fear
  • Inbred Roman rats

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