title: Dorsal cortex lesions impair habituation in turtles (Chrysemys picta).
abstract: Two experiments investigated habituation in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta). In the first, turtles were given lesions of the dorsal cortex or sham lesions and then trained on a restraint. Although the sham-lesioned turtles learned to tolerate the restraint, the lesioned animals continued to struggle against it. Thus dorsal cortex lesions disrupted habituation to restraint. In order to test habituation to a looming stimulus in a second experiment, all animals were habituated to the restraint before surgery. Postoperatively they continued to be habituated to the restraint. The looming stimulus was a circular shadow that enlarged suddenly on a screen in front of the turtle. It was presented 5 times per day for 15 days. Between-day or long-term habituation was impaired by dorsal cortex lesions.
authors.affiliation: St. John's University, Jamaica, N.Y. 11439, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wojcik
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cangiane
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Powers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*