Strategies Used by Hippocampal- and Caudate-Putamen-Lesioned Rats in a Learning Task

doi:10.1006/nlme.1996.3761

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

Volume 68, Issue 1, July 1997, Pages 32-41

https://doi.org/10.1006/nlme.1996.3761 Get rights and content

Abstract

In rats, hippocampal lesions result in impairment of spatial navigation, although other learning abilities remain unaltered. When learning a left/right discrimination task, rats can use a spatial strategy (with external maze landmarks—Situation 1) or are forced to use an egocentric strategy (without external or internal maze cues—Situation 2). Little is known about the extrahippocampal systems involved in the utilization of egocentric strategy. It is suggested that striatum could play an important role in the learning abilities that are spared after hippocampal lesion. The aim of our study was to investigate which strategy is used by rats bearing hippocampal or caudate-putamen lesions in the acquisition of a left/right discrimination task in an elevated T-maze in both Situations 1 and 2. We also investigated the effect of each lesion on the reversal of discrimination in both situations. Acquisition was not altered in any of the situations; however, a transfer test showed that hippocampal-lesioned rats used a different strategy (egocentric) from control animals (spatial) in Situation 1. In addition, reversal of the discrimination was impaired in Situation 2. Caudate-putamen lesion produced a transient effect on reversal of discrimination only in the egocentric task (Situation 2), but did not impair acquisition of the task in either situation, thus suggesting that the animals were able to use either strategy.

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^☆: An abstract version of this study was presented at the 17th Annual Meeting of the European Neuroscience Association held in Vienna, Austria, September 4–8, 1994.

^☆☆: Correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed to Maria Gabriela M. Oliveira at Departamento de Psicobiologia, EPM, UNIFESP, Rua Botucatu, 862-1 andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo-SP 04023-062, Brazil. Fax: (55-11) 572-5092. E-mail: [email protected].

^★: L. R. SquireN. Butters, Eds.

²: This research was supported by grants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and Associação Fundo de Incentivo à Psicofarmacologia (AFIP). M.G.M.O. and O.F.A.B. are recipients of fellowships from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientı́fico e Tecnológico (CNPq), and A.C.P. from FAPESP. The authors thank Dr. Deborah Suchecki for her suggestions on the manuscript.

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Regular ArticleStrategies Used by Hippocampal- and Caudate-Putamen-Lesioned Rats in a Learning Task☆,☆☆,★

Abstract

Behavioral and Brain Science

Behavioral and Neural Biology

Neuropsychologia

Physiology and Behavior

Behavioral and Neural Biology

Neuropsychologia

Neuropsychologia

Brain Research

Behavioral and Brain Research

Physiology and Behavior

Trends in Neuroscience

Evidence for caudate nucleus involvement in an egocentric spatial task: Return from passive transport

Physiological Psychology

The amnestic syndrome of posterior cerebral artery occlusion

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

Preserved learning capacity in amnesia: Evidence for multiple memory systems

The neuropsychology of memory

Effect of medial temporal lesions on visual discrimination performance

Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

The effect of radical hippocampal ablation on acquisition of an avoidance response

Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

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Experimental Brain Research

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Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

Hippocampectomy and behavior sequences

Science

Regular Article
Strategies Used by Hippocampal- and Caudate-Putamen-Lesioned Rats in a Learning Task☆,☆☆,★