Localization of function within the dorsal hippocampus: the role of the CA3 subregion in paired-associate learning.
Computational models and electrophysiological data suggest that the CA3 subregion of the hippocampus supports the formation of arbitrary associations; however, no behavioral studies have been conducted to test this hypothesis. Rats with neurotoxin-induced lesions of dorsal dentate gyrus (DG), CA3, or CA1 were tested on object-place and odor-place paired-associate tasks to test whether the mechanism that supports paired-associate learning is localized to the CA3 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus or whether all hippocampal subregions contribute to paired-associate learning. The data indicate that rats with DG or CA1 lesions learned the tasks as well as controls; however, CA3-lesioned rats were impaired in learning the tasks. Thus, the CA3 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus contains a mechanism to support paired-associate learning.
Gilbert
Paul E
PE
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Diego, USA.
Kesner
Raymond P
RP
D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000502:physiology; D004777:Environment; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans