Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder characterized by extreme emaciation due to the inability to maintain a healthy weight. The disorder can result in many behavioral and physiological changes. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) in animals is a potentially viable model of anorexia nervosa, reproducing many of the core behavioral components of the disorder such as restriction of food consumption, dramatic weight loss, and increased drive for physical activity (i.e. wheel running). Some of the behavioral and physiological factors involved in this phenomenon have been examined by previous research; however, investigators have yet to determine the mechanisms by which this behavior is maintained and reinforced. The present study examines the effects of response prevention and response interference on the maintenance of ABA. Data analysis revealed that response prevention somewhat reduced subsequent behavior, while interference resulted in significant increases in later activity. These findings support the notion that learning and motivational variables affect behavioral processes involved in ABA.
Recommended Citation
Streeb, Nicole
(2014)
"Response Interference and Activity-Based Anorexia in Rats,"
Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 3, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/caravel/vol3/iss1/6