Classical Conditioning – Ch. 5 September 23, 2005 Class #14

Medical/Mental Applications Classically conditioned allergies??? Classically conditioned allergies??? Immune system reactions Immune system reactions Treatment for pedophiles Treatment for pedophiles

Russell et al. (1984) Participants Participants 8 adult male guinea pigs 8 adult male guinea pigs Procedure Procedure Paired certain smells with allergy-producing protein Paired certain smells with allergy-producing protein Group 1: sulfur-smell Group 1: sulfur-smell Group 2: fish-smell Group 2: fish-smell

Russell et al. (1984) UCS  UCR UCS  UCR (allergy-producing protein) (allergic reaction) NS  NO RESPONSE NS  NO RESPONSE (fish) (no reaction) NS + UCS  UCR NS + UCS  UCR (fish) (protein) (allergic reaction) * This is repeated several times… CS  CR CS  CR (fish) (allergic reaction)

Immune System studies.. Ader and Cohen (1975) Ader and Cohen (1975) Rats drank a saccharin solution immediately before the injection of cyclophosphamide, an immunosuppressive drug that also has aversive gastrointestinal side effects Rats drank a saccharin solution immediately before the injection of cyclophosphamide, an immunosuppressive drug that also has aversive gastrointestinal side effects Following this pairing, rats avoided drinking the saccharin solution – another taste aversion study Following this pairing, rats avoided drinking the saccharin solution – another taste aversion study

O'Reilly and Exon (1986) These researchers paired a saccharin taste (NS) with the immunosuppressing cyclophosphamide (UCS) These researchers paired a saccharin taste (NS) with the immunosuppressing cyclophosphamide (UCS) One of cyclophosphamide's natural effects is the reduction of natural killer-cell activity One of cyclophosphamide's natural effects is the reduction of natural killer-cell activity Natural killer-cells are one of an organism's first defenses against the development of malignant tumors Natural killer-cells are one of an organism's first defenses against the development of malignant tumors When they find a cell that has been infected with a virus or one that has become cancerous, they engulf and destroy it When they find a cell that has been infected with a virus or one that has become cancerous, they engulf and destroy it When O'Reilly and Exon presented saccharin to their rat subjects, it resulted in a conditioned taste aversion as well as a conditioned reduction in natural killer-cell cytotoxicity When O'Reilly and Exon presented saccharin to their rat subjects, it resulted in a conditioned taste aversion as well as a conditioned reduction in natural killer-cell cytotoxicity

Bovbjerg and Redd (1990) Participants Participants 20 female ovarian cancer patients 20 female ovarian cancer patients Procedure Procedure Chemotherapy given to patients in hospital setting Chemotherapy given to patients in hospital setting Patients return home within hours after treatment Patients return home within hours after treatment Hypothesis Hypothesis Classically conditioned anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) and anticipatory immune suppression (AIS) Classically conditioned anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) and anticipatory immune suppression (AIS)

Bovbjerg and Redd (1990) UCS  UCR UCS  UCR (chemo) (nausea/vomiting) (chemo) (nausea/vomiting) NS  NO RESPONSE NS  NO RESPONSE (hospital) (no reaction) NS + UCS  UCR NS + UCS  UCR (hospital) (chemo) (nausea/vomiting) (hospital) (chemo) (nausea/vomiting) * This is repeated several times… * This is repeated several times… CS  CR CS  CR (hospital) (nausea/vomiting)

Bovbjerg and Redd (1990) UCS  UCR UCS  UCR (chemo) (immunosuppressive) (chemo) (immunosuppressive) NS  NO RESPONSE NS  NO RESPONSE (hospital) (no reaction) NS + UCS  UCR NS + UCS  UCR (hospital) (chemo) (immunosuppressive) (hospital) (chemo) (immunosuppressive) * This is repeated several times… * This is repeated several times… CS  CR CS  CR (hospital) (immunosuppressive)

Results Participants experienced both decreased immune function and increased nausea when they returned to hospital setting Participants experienced both decreased immune function and increased nausea when they returned to hospital setting

Practical Implication Could cancer patients decrease in immune functioning possibly be avoided? Could cancer patients decrease in immune functioning possibly be avoided?

Buske-Kirschbaum et al. (1994) Healthy volunteers were provided with a (sherbet sweet/white noise), which was repeatedly paired with an injection of epinephrine (US) Healthy volunteers were provided with a (sherbet sweet/white noise), which was repeatedly paired with an injection of epinephrine (US) After epinephrine injections (0.2 mg subcutaneously), a transient increase of natural killer (NK) cell activity (UR) could be observed After epinephrine injections (0.2 mg subcutaneously), a transient increase of natural killer (NK) cell activity (UR) could be observed Later, the sherbet itself elicited an increase in NK cell activity Later, the sherbet itself elicited an increase in NK cell activity

Treatment for Sexual Aggressors Hall et al. (1993) Hall et al. (1993) Pairing of photographic images of unclothed children with aversive stimuli Pairing of photographic images of unclothed children with aversive stimuli Drug-induced nausea similar to Antabus treatments for alcohol abusers Drug-induced nausea similar to Antabus treatments for alcohol abusers Unpleasant scents (ammonia) Unpleasant scents (ammonia) Limited success Limited success

Placebo Effect Might be employed to help some of these individuals Might be employed to help some of these individuals