Spatial learning in an enclosed eight-arm radial maze in rats with sodium arsanilate-induced labyrinthectomies.
Bilateral vestibular dysfunction was induced in Long-Evans male rats (n = 7) by intratympanic injections of sodium arsanilate (30 mg/side). Control rats (n = 6) received isotonic saline. Animals were tested for labyrinthine integrity by measuring air-righting and contact-righting reflexes. Rats were reduced to 85% of free-feeding body weight and tested in an enclosed 8-arm radial maze (1 trial/day over 10 days). Labyrinthectomized animals made significantly more errors (p < .001) and, unlike the controls, showed no significant improvement on this measure over acquisition training. These rats also made significantly more (p = 0.018) sequential same arm reentries and fewer sequential adjacent arm entries (p < .01). These findings demonstrate that information obtained from the vestibular system is very important in spatial learning in the rat.
Ossenkopp
K P
KP
Neuroscience Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Hargreaves
E L
EL
D000818:Animals; D001147:Arsanilic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000187:drug effects; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013037:Spatial Behavior; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000187:drug effects
D012964:Sodium; D001147:Arsanilic Acid