A Preliminary Model for Operant Conditioning of Rats in a Detection Task

Abstract

In this study, we proposed a nonlinear probabilistic model to show how operant conditioning develops in rats trained to detect vibrotactile stimuli on their hindpaw glabrous skin. The model shows the dynamics of neural networks responsible for operant conditioning in a sensory detection task. We successfully simulated the behavior of rats with different learning levels defined by accuracy. Furthermore, the model could reproduce the changes in receiver operant characteristics during conditioning.