Selective lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis impair cognitive flexibility.
The authors tested the hypothesis that the cholinergic nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) is involved in solving problems requiring cognitive flexibility. Rats with 192 IgG-saporin lesions of the NBM were assessed for perseveration (i.e., cognitive inflexibility) in the serial reversal of an operant discrimination and during subsequent extinction testing. It was hypothesized that the NBM lesion and control groups would not differ in the acquisition of the initial, simple discrimination, because this task does not demand cognitive flexibility. In contrast, it was hypothesized that the NBM lesion group would show perseveration during serial reversal and extinction testing. Results generally supported these hypotheses, suggesting that the NBM plays an important role in mediating cognitive flexibility.
Cabrera
Sara M
SM
Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA.
Chavez
Candice M
CM
Corley
Sean R
SR
Kitto
Michael R
MR
Butt
Allen E
AE
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000633:toxicity; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D000076985:Saporins; D013997:Time Factors
C085696:192 IgG-saporin; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000922:Immunotoxins; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D000076985:Saporins