RESUMEN
Memory for visual recognition in primates is at least partially mediated by the peripheral and entorhinal (i.e., rhinal) areas of the cerebral cortex. The roles of these structures in visual recognition in cats was studied by producing electrolytic combined lesions of the rhinal (perirhinal + entorhinal) areas in a group of cats trained in a modified Wisconsin test apparatus to delayed selection of an object on the basis of its image on presentation of a new object in every trial in the test. Control groups consisted of intact and sham-operated cats. Animals with rhinal lesions were no different from sham-operated and intact animals in the initial training to the rules for correct responding to the objects presented; they also showed no difference at the minimum delay period of 5 sec used in these experiments. However, a statistically significant difference was seen on testing with a delay of 10 sec, demonstrating impairment of intrinsic visual recognition memory.
Asunto(s)
Corteza Cerebral/fisiología , Sistema Límbico/fisiología , Reconocimiento en Psicología/fisiología , Percepción Visual/fisiología , Animales , Gatos , Condicionamiento Clásico/fisiología , Corteza Entorrinal/fisiología , Femenino , Masculino , Giro Parahipocampal/fisiología , Estimulación Luminosa , Vías Visuales/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Visual recognition memory in primates is mediated at least in part by the perirhinal and entorhinal (i.e., rhinal) cortices. To examine the role of these structures in cats' visual recognition memory, we performed combined electrolytic rhinal (perirhinal and entorhinal) lesions in a group of cats trained in visual delayed matching-to-sample with trial-unique objects in the modified Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus. Sham-operated and intact cats were used as control groups. Cats with rhinal lesions did not differ from the control sham-operated and unoperated groups in initial learning of the rules of the task; difference between experimental and control groups under conditions of minimum 5-sec delay was nonsignificant as well. However, significant difference between experimental and control groups was revealed under conditions of testing with 10-sec delay. This finding suggests a disorder in the visual recognition memory.