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Exploration and avoidance in rats with lesions in amygdala and piriform cortex
Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology
|August 1, 1978
Summary
Specific amygdala and cortical lesions in rats differentially impacted behavior. Central nucleus lesions increased open-field activity, while all lesions impaired active avoidance, with central lesions showing the most pronounced deficit.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Animal Models
Background:
- The amygdala plays a crucial role in emotional processing and behavior.
- Understanding the specific functions of different amygdala nuclei and associated cortical areas is essential for deciphering complex behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential effects of localized lesions in the amygdala and overlying cortex on various behavioral tasks in rats.
- To elucidate the specific roles of the central nucleus, basolateral nucleus, and lateral cortex of the amygdala in learning and memory.
Main Methods:
- Surgical induction of three distinct lesion types in rats: central amygdala, basolateral amygdala, and lateral cortex.
- Assessment of behavioral changes using open-field tests, one-way active avoidance, and forced extinction paradigms.
Main Results:
- Central nucleus lesions significantly increased activity in the open-field test.
- All lesion groups exhibited deficits in one-way active avoidance, with the central group showing the most severe impairment.
- Cortical and basolateral lesions resulted in greater deficits during forced extinction of one-way active avoidance compared to central lesions.
Conclusions:
- A fear-reduction hypothesis is proposed to explain the behavioral changes observed after central amygdala lesions.
- The basolateral amygdala and overlying cortex appear to be more critically involved in passive avoidance behaviors.