Circadian modulation of performance on an aversion-based place learning task in hamsters

In golden hamsters, the expression of a reward-conditioned place preference (CPP) is regulated in a circadian pattern such that the preference is exhibited strongly at the circadian time of prior training but not at other circadian times. We now report that the same "time-stamp" phenomenon is expressed following context conditioning with an aversive stimulus (conditioned place avoidance, CPA). Animals that were trained at a specific circadian time to discriminate between a "safe" context and one paired with foot shock, showed strong avoidance of the paired context at 24 and 48h following the last training session, and showed no avoidance at 32 and 40h following training. Circadian time is a feature that is learned during conditioning even though timing itself is not an explicit discriminative cue in these experiments. The results suggest that in hamsters, the emotional valence associated with the place where arousing stimulation (rewarding and aversive) is encountered is highest at the circadian time of occurrence. The golden hamster may be predisposed to anticipate the recurrence of arousing events at circa-24h intervals.