Brightness discrimination of pretrained and nonpretrained hippocampal rats reinforced for choosing brighter or dimmer alternatives.

Bauer, Richard H.

doi:10.1037/h0037211

Cited by 19 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Although hippocampal-Iesioned rats are clearly capable of solving sirnultaneous brightness discriminations (Bauer, 1974;Kimble, 1963;Silviera & Kimble, 1968;Winocur & Gilbert, 1984), in the present study, the hippocampal rats were unable to reacquire the black-white MTS task even when the sampie and comparison cues were present simultaneously. Nor were they able to acquire postoperatively a simultaneous nonmatching-to-sample (NMTS) version of this task.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 70%

Hippocampal lesions impair rats’ performance of a nonspatial matching-to-sample task

et al. 1990

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In the present study, we attempted to develop a nonspatial delayed match-to-sample task that would aid in assessing the role ofthe hippocampus in memory. It is difficult to compare directly the results of many past studies of hippocampal function because studies using different species often use very different tasks to assess the same theoretical constructs. Rodent studies typically have used spatial tasks, such as the radial arm maze, with or without delays, whereas primate studies typically have used match-to-sample (MTS) tasks. In the present study, we examined the performance ofhippocampal-Iesioned rats on nonspatial simultaneous matching-to-sample (SMTS) and delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) in a cross maze. Postoperatively, the hippocampal-Iesioned subjects were unable to reacquire the SMTS task they had learned preoperatively. The results suggest that this approach may provide a useful tool for probing the role of the hippocampus in memory, and that the configural relationships between stimuli and events or the conditional nature of a learning/memory task may be especially important aspects for determining the impact of hippocampal damage.The major purpose of this study was to develop a nonspatial matching-to-sample (MTS) task that could aid the assessment of hippocampal involvement in memory processes of the rat.The role of the hippocampal system in animal memory has been investigated for many years in an attempt to provide a model for the human amnesie syndrome (e.g., Gaffan, 1974Gaffan, , 1977Squire & Cohen, 1983;Weiskrantz & Warrington, 1975). Several theorists have attempted to explain the effect of hippocampal lesions on various memory tasks. O' Keefe and Nadel (1979) proposed a spatial mapping function of the hippocampus, and there is substantial evidence to indieate that hippocampal-system lesions disrupt performance of spatial tasks in rats, monkeys, and humans (

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 70%

Hippocampal lesions impair rats’ performance of a nonspatial matching-to-sample task

et al. 1990

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“…In fact, animals with hippocampal lesions are often less .distractible on goal-directed tasks (Wicklegren & Isaacson, 1963). However, subsequent research has suggested that this might only apply to very salient stimuli, as animals show greater reactivity to unexpected events (orienting response), and poor attentional performance on discrimination tasks with low-intensity, low-salience stimuli (Bauer, 1974). Furthermore, the relationship of target to background stimuli greatly influences performance after hippocampal damage (Kaplan, 1968).…”

Section: The Hippocampusmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Neuropsychology of Attention

Cohen

1993

Critical Issues in Neuropsychology

211

118

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A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher.Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1993 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1993All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher An unfortunate case of "hemispatial" inattention. ("M Babinet prevenu par sa portiere de Ia visite de Ia comete." From Le Charivari, 1858, by Honore Daumier. Babcock Bequest; Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts.) PrefaceAt the beginning of this project, I was struck by several paradoxes regarding the study of attentional phenomena within neuropsychology. On one hand, the concept of attention has been central to the historical development of psychology. Attention was considered a fundamental and inescapable aspect of human experience by Wilhelm Wundt, William James, and the other founders of modern psychology. On the other hand, for much of the 20th century, psychologists tried desperately to avoid acknowledging the need for an attentional construct. Because attention has an intangible quality and cannot be specified as a unitary process, many behavioral scientists considered the construct of attention theoretically incoherent. Some of their concerns regarding the nature of attentional phenomena were clearly justified. It is also apparent, however, that explanations of behavior and cognition that fail to account for attentional phenomena cannot fully capture human experience.Recently, there has been a shift in zeitgeist, and attention has received more favorable treatment within the cognitive neurosciences. Humans cannot handle an infinite amount of simultaneous information. Therefore, cognitive processes must exist that direct our focus to information that is important, and that permit the selection of stimuli and responses from the large universe of alternatives. Regardless of whether one advocates the existence of a discrete attentional process, it is necessary to account for the occurrence of those phenomena that we normally label as aspects of attention. Consideration of the mechanisms underlying the selection of information and the control of stimulus and response processes is critical if we hope to understand human cognitive experience.The necessity of studying the mechanisms underlying attentional phenomena is particularly evident within neuropsychology. Patients with brain disorders frequently do not perform at optimal levels, even when task variables are held constant. They may fail to detect an object in the environment, even though it can be demonstrated that they have adequate perceptual capability. Reference to performance deficits stemming from attentional dysfunction is common in cl...

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“…Hippocampal lesions do not impair learning of easy visual discriminations (Bauer, 1974;Gazzara & Altman, 1981), because the visual-related regions can also mediate such learning. Hippocampal damage, on the other hand, impairs learn-ing of difficult discriminations (Bauer, 1974;Gazzara & Altman, 1981;Grieshach, et al, 1998), because the hippocampus may contribute more to learning difficult visual discrimination. Blocking NMDA receptors impairs certain forms of learning including olfactory discrimination learning (Morris et al 1986;Grieshach et al, 1998;Xu et al, 1995Xu et al, , 1998Xu et al, , 2003.…”

Section: Discrimination Learning and Brain Co Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hippocampectomized rats learned difficult brightness discriminations significantly more slowly than controls, but showed no significant difference from control rats in easy brightness discriminations (Bauer, 1974). Rats with hippocampal microneuronal hypoplasia showed learning deficits in difficult visual discriminations, but not in easy discriminations (Gazzara & Altman, 1981).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Because hippocampal removal or damage impaired learning in difficult HIPPOCAMPAL CYTOCHROME OXIDASE ACTIVITY 597 visual discrimination but not in easy visual discrimination (Bauer, 1974;Gazzara & Altman, 1981), the present study investigated the possible involvement of the hippocampus in easy and difficult discrimination learning using the quantitative C.O. histochemistry technique.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hippocampal Cytochrome Oxidase Activity of Rats in Easy and Difficult Visual Discrimination Learning

González-Lima

2005

International Journal of Neuroscience

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The present study investigated the functional involvement of the rat hippocampal formation in easy and difficult visual discrimination learning by measuring regional brain cytochrome oxidase (C.O.) activity, an index of neuronal metabolic activity. The results showed that learning was related to C.O. activity in the CA field and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation of rats in the difficult discrimination, whereas learning was related to C.O. activity only in the dentate gyrus of rats in the easy discrimination. The results suggest that difficult visual discrimination learning required greater involvement of the hippocampal formation than easy visual discrimination learning.

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Brightness discrimination of pretrained and nonpretrained hippocampal rats reinforced for choosing brighter or dimmer alternatives.

Cited by 19 publications

References 28 publications

Hippocampal lesions impair rats’ performance of a nonspatial matching-to-sample task

Hippocampal lesions impair rats’ performance of a nonspatial matching-to-sample task

The Neuropsychology of Attention

Hippocampal Cytochrome Oxidase Activity of Rats in Easy and Difficult Visual Discrimination Learning

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