[The acquisition of a cyclic maze habit in rats (as a model of cognitive activity) with removal of the amygdaloid body].
Learning cyclic habit in a multialternative maze (with a possibility of many rewarded choices) was shown to be possible for amygdalectomized rats. All three normal types of the "learning curves" (a number of cycles as a function of the number of sessions) were observed in rats after surgery, i.e., exponent, logistic function, and "no-trend" function. This is in agreement with Simonov's concept. However, the general style of behavior was changed. The behavior became "excessive": there was an increase in the number of errors and in the locomotion rate, which suggests a disbalance of emotional-cognitive interrelations. The extent of deviation from norm is different for each type. The findings suggest the different functional weight of amygdala in the normal activity.
Khinicheva
N M
NM
Institute of Higher Nervous Activity, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
Nikol'skaia
K A
KA
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D010507:Periodicity; D051381:Rats; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013997:Time Factors