The effect of cul length and hippocampal lesions on maze learning in the rat

Twenty-four rats, 8 with bilateral hippocampal lesions, 8 with cortical lesions and 8 unoperated rats, were tested on one of 2 mazes. Half of each group were run in a conventional 5 choice multiple Y maze. The other half were run in a symetrical, long cul maze in which distance and number of successive choice point were equal for a right or wrong choice before the animal reached an cul end or the goal box. The correct path in the long cul maze was identical to that of the short cul maze. S's were run one trial a day for 15 days. On the symetrical, long cul maze there were no differences between groups. On the short cul maze, hippocampals were significantly worse than control S's and looked similar to control S's on the long cul maze. The results are interpreted in terms of frustration theory.