Hippocampal lesions and active avoidance

Abstract

Rats with lesions of the hippocampus were impaired relative to normal rats in the acquisition and retention of a one-way active avoidance task, but were superior to normal and partially neodecorticate rats in the acquisition of a two-way active avoidance task. The deficit of rats with hippocampal damage in the one-way task was accentuated when "no shock trials" (CS only) preceded acquisition or reacquisition training. Neocortically lesioned animals showed a slight deficit on both response and latency measures of performance. It is suggested that hippocampectomized rats are deficient in the ability to associate noxious events with cues indicating spatial location.