Radial maze learning deficits and mediodorsal thalamic damage in context of multifocal seizure-induced brain lesions.
Rats were either trained 21 days after seizure induction or trained before seizure induction and tested 21 days later. The seizures, which induce insidious brain damage within a multitude of diencephalic and subcortical telencephalic structures, were induced by a single injection of lithium (3 mEq/kg sc) followed 24 hr later by pilocarpine (30 mg/kg sc). Compared with controls, the treated rats displayed significant deficits in the acquisition and recall of a radial maze task. Although there was multifocal brain damage, only the amount of damage within the mediodorsal thalamic group was significantly and strongly correlated (rho = .79) with numbers of errors.
Harrigan
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Neuroscience Program, Laurentian University Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
Peredery
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Persinger
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D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007858:Learning; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008568:Memory; D009336:Necrosis / Q000473:pathology; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
D010862:Pilocarpine; D008094:Lithium