Spontaneously hypertensive, Wistar Kyoto and Sprague–Dawley rats differ in their use of place and response strategies in the water radial arm maze

Clements, K.M.; Saunders, A.J.; Robertson, Barbara-Anne; Wainwright, P.E.

doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2006.09.003

Cited by 20 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The waveform of the evoked response to stimulation of the medial perforant path was similar in SD and WKY rats. However, the lack of LTP in WKY rats following HFS was dramatic and supports the idea that impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity may underlie the impairments in hippocampal dependent learning displayed by WKY rats (Clements and Wainwright, 2007; Clements et al, 2007). Furthermore, the impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity in WKY rats may contribute to the persistent avoidance learning, as SD rats with damaged hippocampus behaved similarly.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

The Role of the Hippocampus in Avoidance Learning and Anxiety Vulnerability

Cominski¹,

Jiao²,

Catuzzi³

et al. 2014

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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The hippocampus has been implicated in anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); human studies suggest that a dysfunctional hippocampus may be a vulnerability factor for the development of PTSD. In the current study, we examined the effect of hippocampal damage in avoidance learning, as avoidance is a core symptom of all anxiety disorders. First, the effect of hippocampal damage on avoidance learning was investigated in outbred Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Second, the function of the hippocampus in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats was compared to SD rats. The WKY rat is an animal model of behavioral inhibition, a risk factor for anxiety, and demonstrates abnormal avoidance learning, marked by facilitated avoidance acquisition and resistance to extinction. The results of the current study indicate that hippocampal damage in SD rats leads to impaired extinction of avoidance learning similar to WKY rats. Furthermore, WKY rats have reduced hippocampal volume and impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity as compared to SD rats. These results suggest that hippocampal dysfunction enhances the development of persistent avoidance responding and, thus, may confer vulnerability to the development of anxiety disorders and PTSD.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

The Role of the Hippocampus in Avoidance Learning and Anxiety Vulnerability

Cominski¹,

Jiao²,

Catuzzi³

et al. 2014

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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“…The training period consisted of four trials per day, starting the rat at four different positions in the water maze, to avoid left and right navigation to the platform. This is a response strategy, described by Clements et al (2007) where the rat remembers which direction their body turned instead of using visuospatial cues to guide them. Instead of hippocampal memory used in a place strategy where the rat uses spatial cues to guide them, the response strategy relies on striatal memory.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of exercise on learning and memory in a rat model of developmental stress

et al. 2009

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Introduction-Adverse life events occurring in early development can result in long-term effects on behavioural, physiological and cognitive processes. In particular, perinatal stressors impair neurogenesis in the hippocampus which consequently impairs memory formation. Exercise has previously been shown to have antidepressant effects and to increase cognitive functioning by increasing neurogenesis and neurotrophins in the hippocampus. The current study examined the effects of maternal separation, which has been shown to model anxiety in animals, and the effects of exercise on learning and memory.Methods-Forty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups, maternally separated / non-runners, maternally separated / runners, non-separated / runners and nonseparated / non-runners. Maternal separation occurred from postnatal day 2 (P2) to 14 (P14) for 3 hours per day. Exercised rats were given voluntary access to individual running wheels attached to their cages from P29 to P49. Behavioural testing (Morris water maze (MWM) and object recognition tests) took place from P49 to P63.Results-Maternally separated rats showed no significant difference in anxiety levels in the elevated plus maze and the open field compared to the normally reared controls. However, rats that were allowed voluntary access to running wheels showed increased levels of anxiety in the elevated plus maze and in the open field. Maternal separation did not have any effect on memory performance in the MWM or the object recognition tasks. Exercise increased spatial learning and memory in the MWM with the exercised rats displaying a decreased latency in locating the hidden platform than the non-exercised rats. The exercised rats spent significantly less time exploring the most recently encountered object in the temporal order task in comparison to the non-exercised controls, therefore showing improved temporal recognition memory. All groups performed the same on the other recognition tasks, with all rats showing intact memory performance. Conclusion-Resultsindicate that maternal separation had little effect on the rats whereas exercise enhanced both spatial and recognition memory.

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“…During the training period, four starting points were randomized everyday to avoid left and right navigation to the platform. This is known as response strategy and was first described by Clements et al (2007) where the rats remember which direction their body turned instead of using visuospatial cues to guide them. Instead of hippocampal memory used in a place strategy where the rats use spatial cues to guide them, the response strategy relies on striatal memory (Grace et al, 2009).…”

Section: Morris Water Mazementioning

confidence: 99%