Memory-based learning in preweanling and adult rats after infantile x-irradiation-induced hippocampal granule cell hypoplasia.
Infantile exposure to x-irradiation induced severe hippocampal granule cell hypoplasia in preweanling and young adult rats. Hippocampally damaged pups, tested at 16 days of age, showed deficits in a memory-based discrimination based on single alternations of reward and nonreward when training was conducted at a 60-s intertrial interval (ITI) but not when conducted at a 30-s ITI. This deficit was still present at the 60-s ITI in animals x-irradiated in infancy and tested at 60-65 days of age. These data provide further support for the role of the hippocampus in intermediate-term memory and demonstrate, in a developmental context, the importance of an intact hippocampus in learning that depends on nonspatial memory.
Diaz-Granados
J L
JL
Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin 78712.
Greene
P L
PL
Amsel
A
A
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects