Unilateral hippocampal lesions prevent recall of a passive avoidance task in day-old chicks.
The role of the hippocampal system in learning and memory processes in the chick was investigated. A series of experiments examined the effects of lesions in the hippocampal system on the acquisition and retention of a passive avoidance task. Chicks given pretraining bilateral hippocampal lesions showed a decrease of retention of the avoidance response evaluated 3 h posttraining. When given unilaterally, left, but not right lesions, resulted in reduced avoidance. However, bilateral posttraining lesions, made 1 h after training, did not interfere with retention of the task. These results suggest an involvement of the hippocampal system in learning processes in the chick.
Sandi
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Brain and Behaviour Research Group, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Rose
S P
SP
Patterson
T A
TA
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*