Identification of differential gene expression profile in rats showing risk-averse and risk-seeking preferences in rat gambling task (rGT)

In the present study, we examined using next-generation sequencing (NGS) whether there are differences in gene expression profiles in the brain when rats make different choices toward risk in rGT. Overall design: Rats were trained in a touch screen chamber to learn the relationships between 4 different light signals on the window of the screen and accompanied reward outcomes or punishments set up with different magnitudes and probabilities. Once they show a stabilized pattern of preference upon free choice, rats were classified into risk-averse or risk-seeking group. After classification in rGT, rats were decapitated, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) were dissected out from their brains, and NGS was performed with total RNA extracted.

本研究采用下一代测序技术（next-generation sequencing, NGS），旨在分析大鼠在大鼠博弈任务（rGT）中作出不同风险决策时，其脑部基因表达谱是否存在差异。
实验设计概述：将大鼠置于触屏训练箱中，使其学习屏幕窗口上4种不同光信号与对应不同强度和概率设置的奖赏结果或惩罚结果之间的对应关系。当大鼠在自由选择范式下表现出稳定的偏好模式后，将其划分为风险厌恶组与风险寻求组。完成大鼠博弈任务（rGT）分组后，对大鼠实施断头处死，从其脑中分离出前额叶皮层（prefrontal cortex, PFC）与伏隔核（nucleus accumbens, NAc），提取总RNA后开展下一代测序实验。