RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impaired Recognition Memory in Rats after Damage to the Hippocampus
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 8853
OP 8860
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-23-08853.2000
VO 20
IS 23
A1 Clark, Robert E.
A1 Zola, Stuart M.
A1 Squire, Larry R.
YR 2000
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/20/23/8853.abstract
AB Rats with radio-frequency or ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus and rats with radio-frequency lesions of the fornix were tested on the visual paired comparison task (VPC), a test of recognition memory. Memory was assessed at five different delay intervals ranging from 10 sec to 24 hr. All operated groups performed normally at the shorter delays (10 sec and 1 min). Across longer delays, the two groups with hippocampal damage were impaired. Rats with fornix lesions performed well on the VPC task but were impaired on a spatial task (spontaneous alternation). The results show that the hippocampus is essential for normal recognition memory. Moreover, fornix lesions need not mimic the effects of direct damage to hippocampal tissue. The findings are discussed in the context of the contribution of the hippocampus to recognition memory.