title: Hierarchical and binary associations compete for behavioral control during instrumental biconditional discrimination.
abstract: In two experiments we investigated the role of hierarchical S-(R-O) associations, as opposed to associative alternatives, in solving biconditional discrimination problems in rats. Using lesions of posterior dorsomedial striatum known to attenuate R-O associative learning, and lesions of the dorsolateral striatum that attenuate S-R learning, we found that whereas the lesions affecting R-O learning abolished biconditional discrimination, lesions of dorsolateral striatum did not (Experiment 1). Furthermore, in Experiment 2, we found, using a more challenging discrimination protocol, that dorsolateral striatal lesions actually enhanced biconditional discrimination learning. These results provide evidence that hierarchical S-(R-O) associations influence instrumental discrimination learning and compete with S-R associations for control of performance.
authors: Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Laura A
authors: LA
authors: Bradfield
authors: Bernard W
authors: BW
authors: Balleine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007649:Ketamine