Paired-associate learning is unaffected by combined hippocampal and parahippocampal lesions in homing pigeons.
To examine whether the avian hippocampus-parahippocampus (HF) is necessary for nonspatial, paired-associate learning, as has been suggested for rodents, HF-lesioned and control homing pigeons were tested on a visual paired-associate learning task. Both groups learned equally well to discriminate trials that consisted of a stimulus preceded by its paired associate from trials that consisted of a stimulus preceded by stimuli from other paired associates (mispair trials), even when a mispair was experienced for the first time. The groups also learned equally well not to respond to 2 stimuli that were never rewarded. The results demonstrate that HF lesions do not impair nonspatial paired-associate learning in birds, suggesting that the role of HF in nonspatial cognition differs between birds and mammals.
Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Ohio 43403, USA. vbingma@bgnet.bgsu.edu
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D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005793:Generalization, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D014163:Transfer, Psychology / Q000502:physiology