Acquisition and performance of two-way shuttlebox avoidance: Effects of aversive air intensity

Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were trained on a signaled shuttlebox avoidance task using pressurized air as an aversive stimulus. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four different air intensities (10, 20, 40, or 55 psi) and exposed to 51 trials per session for 20 sessions. Area under the curve analyses and a two-parameter, nonlinear exponential model were used to characterize effects of air intensity on rate of acquisition and asymptotic level of avoidance responding. Higher air intensities produced higher rates of avoidance acquisition, higher asymptotic levels of avoidance proficiency, and shorter escape latencies. Avoidance latencies were comparable across groups. Results indicate that a pressurized air stimulus functions in a manner similar to electric shock and other aversive stimuli used in two-way shuttlebox avoidance.