Lesions to the nucleus basalis magnocellularis lower performance but do not block the retention of a previously acquired learning set.
Rats were first trained to acquire an olfactory discrimination learning set (ODLS) on 40 olfactory-unique discrimination problems. Following acquisition of ODLS, animals were lesioned bilaterally in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nBM) using either quisqualic acid (QUIS) or 192 IgG-saporin (SAP). QUIS animals performed significantly worse than control animals following surgery and SAP animals performed transiently worse than control animals. Despite lowered performances, both QUIS and SAP animals performed significantly better than expected by chance on trial 2 indicating retention of the ODLS previously acquired. Implications for the role of the nBM in aspects of cognitive flexibility and its role in acquisition versus retention are discussed.
Bailey
Aileen M
AM
Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD 20686, USA. ambailey@smcm.edu
Lee
Jennifer M
JM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000503:physiopathology; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D000076985:Saporins; D013997:Time Factors
C085696:192 IgG-saporin; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D000076985:Saporins