Spatial behaviour of normal and septal rats on alternate route maze problems

The behaviour of normal rats and rats with lesions of the septum was compared on a variety of alternate route variations of the three-table problems. In all variations of the task, septal rats were impaired on test trial performance when they displayed stereotypic body turn responses and demonstrated a strong preference for the most direct route between tables both during exploration and testing in all conditions. Normal rats displayed a similar route choice tendency in the simplest situations but shifted route choice behaviour in the most complex configuration, when they chose the inner, but longer, path. The use of the inner path may have allowed delayed-choice, single-point reference orientation, or reduction in the number of available alternatives. It is concluded that normal rats form a cognitive representation that allows them to identify environmental factors likely to facilitate solution, whereas septal rats rely on "taxon"-type strategies that can combine guidances and orientational responses.