Lack of effect of dorsomedial thalamic lesions on automated tests of spatial memory in the rat

Behav Brain Res. 1993 May 31;55(1):39-49. doi: 10.1016/0166-4328(93)90005-b.

Abstract

The effects of cytotoxic lesions of nucleus medialis dorsalis on tests of spatial memory were examined in the rat. Extensive lesions of the nucleus did not impair either the acquisition or the subsequent performance of an automated test of working memory, delayed nonmatching-to-position. Detailed analysis of the animals' performance over varying retention delays failed to reveal any evidence of a deficit. The same animals performed normally in a spatial discrimination task and its subsequent reversals. The present results can be contrasted with those from animals with hippocampal system damage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Mapping
  • Discrimination Learning / drug effects
  • Discrimination Learning / physiology*
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / drug effects
  • Mental Recall / physiology*
  • N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology
  • Orientation / drug effects
  • Orientation / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Retention, Psychology / drug effects
  • Retention, Psychology / physiology
  • Reversal Learning / drug effects
  • Reversal Learning / physiology
  • Thalamic Nuclei / drug effects
  • Thalamic Nuclei / physiology*

Substances

  • N-Methylaspartate