Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis

Numerous invertebrates have contributed to our understanding of the biology of learning and memory. In most cases, learning performance is documented for groups of individuals, and nearly always based on a single, typically binary, behavioural metric for a conditioned response. This is unfortunate f...

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Main Authors: Kim J. Borstel, Paul A. Stevenson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.741439/full
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author Kim J. Borstel
Paul A. Stevenson
author_facet Kim J. Borstel
Paul A. Stevenson
author_sort Kim J. Borstel
collection DOAJ
description Numerous invertebrates have contributed to our understanding of the biology of learning and memory. In most cases, learning performance is documented for groups of individuals, and nearly always based on a single, typically binary, behavioural metric for a conditioned response. This is unfortunate for several reasons. Foremost, it has become increasingly apparent that invertebrates exhibit inter-individual differences in many aspects of their behaviour, and also that the conditioned response probability for an animal group does not adequately represent the behaviour of individuals in classical conditioning. Furthermore, a binary response character cannot yield a graded score for each individual. We also hypothesise that due to the complexity of a conditioned response, a single metric need not reveal an individual's full learning potential. In this paper, we report individual learning scores for freely moving adult male crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) based on a multi-factorial analysis of a conditioned response. First, in an absolute conditioning paradigm, we video-tracked the odour responses of animals that, in previous training, received either odour plus reward (sugar water), reward alone, or odour alone to identify behavioural predictors of a conditioned response. Measures of these predictors were then analysed using binary regression analysis to construct a variety of mathematical models that give a probability for each individual that it exhibited a conditioned response (Presp). Using standard procedures to compare model accuracy, we identified the strongest model which could reliably discriminate between the different odour responses. Finally, in a differential appetitive olfactory paradigm, we employed the model after training to calculate the Presp of animals to a conditioned, and to an unconditioned odour, and from the difference a learning index for each animal. Comparing the results from our multi-factor model with a single metric analysis (head bobbing in response to a conditioned odour), revealed advantageous aspects of the model. A broad distribution of model-learning scores, with modes at low and high values, support the notion of a high degree of variation in learning capacity, which we discuss.
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spelling doaj.art-61cf18171a464f518d2f77751415e5f02022-12-21T22:32:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532021-09-011510.3389/fnbeh.2021.741439741439Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression AnalysisKim J. BorstelPaul A. StevensonNumerous invertebrates have contributed to our understanding of the biology of learning and memory. In most cases, learning performance is documented for groups of individuals, and nearly always based on a single, typically binary, behavioural metric for a conditioned response. This is unfortunate for several reasons. Foremost, it has become increasingly apparent that invertebrates exhibit inter-individual differences in many aspects of their behaviour, and also that the conditioned response probability for an animal group does not adequately represent the behaviour of individuals in classical conditioning. Furthermore, a binary response character cannot yield a graded score for each individual. We also hypothesise that due to the complexity of a conditioned response, a single metric need not reveal an individual's full learning potential. In this paper, we report individual learning scores for freely moving adult male crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) based on a multi-factorial analysis of a conditioned response. First, in an absolute conditioning paradigm, we video-tracked the odour responses of animals that, in previous training, received either odour plus reward (sugar water), reward alone, or odour alone to identify behavioural predictors of a conditioned response. Measures of these predictors were then analysed using binary regression analysis to construct a variety of mathematical models that give a probability for each individual that it exhibited a conditioned response (Presp). Using standard procedures to compare model accuracy, we identified the strongest model which could reliably discriminate between the different odour responses. Finally, in a differential appetitive olfactory paradigm, we employed the model after training to calculate the Presp of animals to a conditioned, and to an unconditioned odour, and from the difference a learning index for each animal. Comparing the results from our multi-factor model with a single metric analysis (head bobbing in response to a conditioned odour), revealed advantageous aspects of the model. A broad distribution of model-learning scores, with modes at low and high values, support the notion of a high degree of variation in learning capacity, which we discuss.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.741439/fullanimal personalitybinary logistic regressioncognitionconditioninginvertebratesmemory
spellingShingle Kim J. Borstel
Paul A. Stevenson
Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
animal personality
binary logistic regression
cognition
conditioning
invertebrates
memory
title Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
title_full Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
title_fullStr Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
title_short Individual Scores for Associative Learning in a Differential Appetitive Olfactory Paradigm Using Binary Logistic Regression Analysis
title_sort individual scores for associative learning in a differential appetitive olfactory paradigm using binary logistic regression analysis
topic animal personality
binary logistic regression
cognition
conditioning
invertebrates
memory
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.741439/full
work_keys_str_mv AT kimjborstel individualscoresforassociativelearninginadifferentialappetitiveolfactoryparadigmusingbinarylogisticregressionanalysis
AT paulastevenson individualscoresforassociativelearninginadifferentialappetitiveolfactoryparadigmusingbinarylogisticregressionanalysis