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Hippocampal lesions modulate both associative and nonassociative priming
V J Marshall1, A McGregor, M Good
1School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Behavioral Neuroscience
|April 29, 2004
Summary
Rats with hippocampal lesions show altered priming effects. Unlike controls, these rats orient to recently activated stimuli, suggesting a general role for the hippocampus in priming behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Associative priming involves orienting to less recently activated stimuli.
- Excitotoxic hippocampal lesions reverse this effect in rats, favoring primed stimuli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of hippocampal lesions on nonassociative priming in rats.
- To determine if the hippocampus plays a general role in priming phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Rats were presented with two visual stimuli (V1 and V2) with differing recent activation histories.
- Stimulus V2 was more recently presented (primed), while V1 was less recently presented (unprimed).
- Orienting responses of control rats and rats with hippocampal lesions were recorded.
Main Results:
- Control rats oriented to the unprimed stimulus (V1) over the primed stimulus (V2).
- Rats with hippocampal lesions demonstrated the opposite preference, orienting to the primed stimulus (V2) over the unprimed stimulus (V1).
Conclusions:
- Hippocampal lesions alter nonassociative priming effects in rats.
- The findings suggest the hippocampus has a general role in priming, extending beyond associative tasks.