Involvement of rodent prefrontal cortex subregions in strategy switching.
The present study examined whether inactivation of the prelimbic-infralimbic areas or the dorsal anterior cingulate area impairs strategy switching in the cheeseboard task. After implantation of a cannula aimed at either the prelimbic-infralimbic or dorsal anterior cingulate areas, all rats were tested in a spatial and a visual-cued version of the task. Some of the rats received the spatial version first, followed by the visual-cued version. The procedure for the other rats was reversed. Infusions of 2% tetracaine into the prelimbic-infralimbic or dorsal anterior cingulate areas did not impair acquisition of the spatial or visual-cued versions. However, inactivation of the prelimbic-infralimbic areas, but not the dorsal anterior cingulate area, impaired learning when rats were switched from one version to the other. These findings suggest that the prelimbic-infralimbic areas are involved in switching to new behavior-guiding strategies.
Ragozzino
M E
ME
Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, USA.
Wilcox
C
C
Raso
M
M
Kesner
R P
RP
D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003463:Cues; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology