Goal recognition and hippocampal formation in the homing pigeon (Columba livia).
Stimulus control of food-site recognition and role of the hippocampal formation (HF) were investigated. Control and HF-lesioned pigeons were trained to find food located in a colored bowl, near a landmark beacon, in a constant room location. During later test trials, the sources of information were individually removed and/or disassociated. For all test trial types, HF-lesioned pigeons consistently chose bowls associated with one of the training stimuli. Controls were more sensitive to the changes introduced during the test trials; choosing like HF-lesioned pigeons on some test trials but choosing randomly on others. The data identify a critical role of the avian HF in learning the spatial relationship among environmental stimuli.
Strasser
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Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Ohio 43403, USA. rstrass@bgnet.bgsu.edu
Bingman
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VP
D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010856:Columbidae; D003463:Cues; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006702:Homing Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*