Risk-Based Decision Making: A Systematic Scoping Review of Animal Models and a Pilot Study on the Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Rats

Leenaars, C. H. C. and Van der Mierden, S. and Joosten, Rnjma and Van der Weide, M. A. and Schirris, M. and Dematteis, M. and Meijboom, F. L. B. and Feenstra, M. G. P. and Bleich, A.

Clocks Sleep (2021) 3: 31–52

DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3010003

Abstract

Animals, including humans, frequently make decisions involving risk or uncertainty. Different strategies in these decisions can be advantageous depending the circumstances. Short sleep duration seems to be associated with more risky decisions in humans. Animal models for risk-based decision making can increase mechanistic understanding, but very little data is available concerning the effects of sleep. We combined primary- and meta-research to explore the relationship between sleep and risk-based decision making in animals. Our first objective was to create an overview of the available animal models for risky decision making. We performed a systematic scoping review. Our searches in Pubmed and Psychinfo retrieved 712 references, of which 235 were included. Animal models for risk-based decision making have been described for rodents, non-human primates, birds, pigs and honey-bees. We discuss task designs and model validity. Our second objective was to apply this knowledge and perform a pilot study on the effect of sleep deprivation. We trained and tested male Wistar rats on a probability discounting task; a "safe" lever always resulted in 1 reward, a "risky" lever resulted in 4 or no rewards. Rats adapted their preferences to variations in reward probabilities (p \textless 0.001), but 12 h of sleep deprivation during the light phase did not clearly alter risk preference (p = 0.21).

Citation

Leenaars, C. H. C., Van der Mierden, S., Joosten, R., Van der Weide, M. A., Schirris, M., Dematteis, M., Meijboom, F. L. B., Feenstra, M. G. P., & Bleich, A. (2021). Risk-Based Decision Making: A Systematic Scoping Review of Animal Models and a Pilot Study on the Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Rats. Clocks Sleep, 3(1), 31–52. https://doi.org/10.3390/clockssleep3010003 in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing, of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results., of the study, scoping review, gambling, probability discounting, risky decision making, sleep deprivation

Keywords

• in the collection
• analyses
• or interpretation of data
• in the writing
• of the manuscript
• or in the decision to publish the results.
• of the study
• scoping review
• gambling
• probability discounting
• risky decision making
• sleep deprivation