Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
09:01
The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
Published on: July 8, 2015
Rats have trouble associating all three parts of the time-place-event memory code
Christina M. Thorpe1, Mollie E. Bates, Donald M. Wilkie
1Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, BC, V6T 1Z4, Vancouver, Canada
Behavioural Processes
|May 24, 2003
Summary
Rats struggle to link events with specific times and places, unlike pigeons. However, they can form associations between events and time or events and place, challenging some learning theories.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Cognitive science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Animals associating events with time and place offers a significant biological advantage.
- Previous research suggests pigeons can form event-time-place associations, but findings in rats are mixed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether rats can form event-time-place associations.
- To compare rat associative learning abilities with those of pigeons.
- To test Gallistel's theory on memory coding in animals.
Main Methods:
- Utilized various behavioral paradigms including place preference, radial arm maze, Morris water maze, T-maze, and go no-go tasks.
- Assessed rats' ability to form associations between events, time, and place.
Main Results:
- Rats did not readily form event-time-place associations, contrasting with pigeons.
- Rats successfully formed associations between event-time and event-place separately.
- Some rats demonstrated the ability to use a circadian timer for time-of-day discrimination in a go no-go task.
Conclusions:
- Findings challenge Gallistel's theory that animals automatically encode event-time-place information.
- Rats' associative learning differs from pigeons, particularly regarding integrated temporal and spatial memory.
- Circadian rhythms play a role in time-of-day discrimination for rats in specific task formats.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Implicit Memories
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
One key aspect of implicit...
01:19Role of Hippocampus in Memory
The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...
01:16Interference and Decay
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...