Making translation work: Harmonizing cross-species methodology in the behavioural neuroscience of Pavlovian fear conditioning

[摘要] Translational neuroscience bridges insights from specific mechanisms in rodents to complex functions in humans and is key to advance our general understanding of central nervous function. A prime example of translational research is the study of cross-species mechanisms that underlie responding to learned threats, by employing Pavlovian fear conditioning protocols in rodents and humans. Hitherto, evidence for (and critique of) these cross-species comparisons in fear conditioning research was based on theoretical viewpoints. Here, we provide a perspective to substantiate these theoretical concepts with empirical considerations of cross-species methodology. This meta-research perspective is expected to foster cross-species comparability and reproducibility to ultimately facilitate successful transfer of results from basic science into clinical applications.

[发布日期] 2019-12-01

[关键词] Fear conditioning;Fear extinction;Associative learning;Rodent;Human;Translation;Meta-research;Startle;FPS;SCR;Treezing;Heat-rate;Paradigm;Methods;Individual differences