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Dorsal hippocampal involvement in appetitive trace conditioning and interval timing
Shu K E Tam1, Charlotte Bonardi
1Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Level 5–6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom. eric.tam@ndcn.ox.ac.uk
Behavioral Neuroscience
|February 23, 2012
Summary
The dorsal hippocampus (DHPC) is crucial for accurately timing conditioned responses in Pavlovian conditioning. Lesions impaired timing but not overall acquisition, revealing its role in temporal control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Learning and Memory
Background:
- Pavlovian conditioning involves learning associations between stimuli.
- Trace conditioning requires a temporal gap between conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US).
- The dorsal hippocampus (DHPC) is implicated in learning and memory processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the dorsal hippocampus (DHPC) in appetitive Pavlovian trace conditioning and interval timing.
- To determine if DHPC lesions affect the acquisition or temporal patterning of conditioned responses.
Main Methods:
- Rats underwent delay and trace conditioning with an appetitive US (food).
- Conditioned stimulus (CS) presentations were followed immediately (delay) or after a 15-second gap (trace) by food.
- The effects of DHPC lesions on conditioned responding acquisition and timing were assessed.
Main Results:
- DHPC lesions did not impair overall acquisition of trace conditioning.
- Lesions selectively altered the temporal distribution of conditioned responding during the trace CS.
- DHPC lesions disrupted the accuracy of conditioned response (CR) timing for both delay and trace CSs, shifting peak responding earlier.
Conclusions:
- The DHPC is essential for precise interval timing in Pavlovian conditioning, not just acquisition.
- Moment-to-moment analysis of conditioned responding reveals DHPC's role in temporal control, which gross measures may miss.
- Findings highlight the DHPC's contribution to the temporal dynamics of learned associations.
