ERIC Number: EJ767887
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 7
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1072-0502
EISSN: N/A
Simultaneous Training on Two Hippocampus-Dependent Tasks Facilitates Acquisition of Trace Eyeblink Conditioning
Lee, Grace; Disterhoft, John F.; Kuo, Amy G.
Learning & Memory, v13 n2 p201-207 Mar-Apr 2006
A common cellular alteration, reduced post-burst afterhyperpolarization (AHP) in CA1 neurons, is associated with acquisition of the hippocampus-dependent tasks trace eyeblink conditioning and the Morris water maze. As a similar increase in excitability is correlated with these two learning paradigms, we sought to determine the interactive behavioral effects of training animals on both tasks by using either a consecutive or simultaneous training design. In the consecutive design, animals were trained first on either the trace eyeblink conditioning task for six sessions, followed by training on the water maze task for six sessions, or vice versa. The simultaneous design consisted of six or 11 training days; animals received one session/day of both trace eyeblink conditioning and water maze training. Separate groups were used for consecutive and simultaneous training. Animals trained on both tasks simultaneously were significantly facilitated in their ability to acquire the trace eyeblink conditioning task; no effect of simultaneous training was seen on the water maze task. No effect was seen on acquisition for either task when using the consecutive training design. Taken together, these findings provide insight into how the hippocampus processes information when animals learn multiple hippocampus-dependent tasks. (Contains 4 figures.)
Descriptors: Behavioral Science Research, Conditioning, Neurological Organization, Brain, Models, Nonverbal Learning, Laboratory Training, Spatial Ability, Surgery, Animals
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A