Facilitative effects of cross-modality training on recovery of a conditioned avoidance response following striate cortex ablations in the rat.
Two experiments with visual decorticate rats examined the effects of cross-modality transfer on the recovery of a preoperatively learned avoidance task using high intensity light cues. In both experiments, brief postoperative cross-modality training with high intensity noise cues produced significantly better recovery of the visual avoidance response than either reversed intensity noise training or retraining with the original task. Training with a reversed intensity visual cue produced relearning deficits. In the second experiment, control conditions eliminated re-exposure to the test environment, the shock-response relationship, and compound conditioning as possible explanations for these findings. These results indicated that rats are capable of cross-modality transfer after posterior cortical lesions and that this transfer effect can facilitate recovery of behavioral function. The clinical implications of these findings are also discussed.
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Department of Psychology, Regis College, Denver, CO 80221.
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*