Abstract
A considerable amount of research has demonstrated that animals can use different strategies when learning about, and navigating within, their environment. Since the influential research of Packard and McGaugh (1996), it has been widely accepted that, early in learning, rats use a flexible dorsal hippocampal-dependent place strategy. As learning progresses, they switch to a less effortful and more automatic dorsolateral caudate-dependent response strategy. However, supporting literature is dominated by the use of appetitively motivated tasks, using food reward. Because motivation often plays a crucial role in guiding learning, memory, and behavior, we examined spatial learning strategies of rats in an escape-motivated submerged T-maze. In Experiment 1, we observed rapid learning and the opposite pattern as that reported in appetitively motivated tasks. Rats exhibited a response strategy early in learning before switching to a place strategy, which persisted over extensive training. In Experiment 2, we replicated Packard and McGaugh's (1996) observations, using the apparatus and procedures as in Experiment 1, but with food reward instead of water escape. Mechanisms for, and implications of, this motivational modulation of spatial learning strategy are considered.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 854-859 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Volume | 127 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2013 |
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Keywords
- Aversive
- Motivation
- Place
- Response
- Spatial strategy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Immediate Response Strategy and Shift to Place Strategy in Submerged T-Maze. / Asem, Judith S A; Holland, Peter C.
In: Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol. 127, No. 6, 12.2013, p. 854-859.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Immediate Response Strategy and Shift to Place Strategy in Submerged T-Maze
AU - Asem, Judith S A
AU - Holland, Peter C
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - A considerable amount of research has demonstrated that animals can use different strategies when learning about, and navigating within, their environment. Since the influential research of Packard and McGaugh (1996), it has been widely accepted that, early in learning, rats use a flexible dorsal hippocampal-dependent place strategy. As learning progresses, they switch to a less effortful and more automatic dorsolateral caudate-dependent response strategy. However, supporting literature is dominated by the use of appetitively motivated tasks, using food reward. Because motivation often plays a crucial role in guiding learning, memory, and behavior, we examined spatial learning strategies of rats in an escape-motivated submerged T-maze. In Experiment 1, we observed rapid learning and the opposite pattern as that reported in appetitively motivated tasks. Rats exhibited a response strategy early in learning before switching to a place strategy, which persisted over extensive training. In Experiment 2, we replicated Packard and McGaugh's (1996) observations, using the apparatus and procedures as in Experiment 1, but with food reward instead of water escape. Mechanisms for, and implications of, this motivational modulation of spatial learning strategy are considered.
AB - A considerable amount of research has demonstrated that animals can use different strategies when learning about, and navigating within, their environment. Since the influential research of Packard and McGaugh (1996), it has been widely accepted that, early in learning, rats use a flexible dorsal hippocampal-dependent place strategy. As learning progresses, they switch to a less effortful and more automatic dorsolateral caudate-dependent response strategy. However, supporting literature is dominated by the use of appetitively motivated tasks, using food reward. Because motivation often plays a crucial role in guiding learning, memory, and behavior, we examined spatial learning strategies of rats in an escape-motivated submerged T-maze. In Experiment 1, we observed rapid learning and the opposite pattern as that reported in appetitively motivated tasks. Rats exhibited a response strategy early in learning before switching to a place strategy, which persisted over extensive training. In Experiment 2, we replicated Packard and McGaugh's (1996) observations, using the apparatus and procedures as in Experiment 1, but with food reward instead of water escape. Mechanisms for, and implications of, this motivational modulation of spatial learning strategy are considered.
KW - Aversive
KW - Motivation
KW - Place
KW - Response
KW - Spatial strategy
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U2 - 10.1037/a0034686
DO - 10.1037/a0034686
M3 - Article
VL - 127
SP - 854
EP - 859
JO - Behavioral Neuroscience
JF - Behavioral Neuroscience
SN - 0735-7044
IS - 6
ER -