Event Title
Differential Contributions of the Hippocampus and Perirhinal Cortex to Memory and Emotion
Location
Diamond 122
Start Date
1-5-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2014 10:30 AM
Project Type
Presentation
Description
This study will explore the processing of memory and emotion in the medial temporal lobe using rats. Previous research reveals separable roles of the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex in memory and dissociations within the hippocampus based on memory and emotion -- dorsal hippocampus being critical for memory and ventral hippocampus contributing to emotion. The role of the perirhinal cortex in emotion is not well understood but we hypothesize its involvement based on its projections through the septo-temporal extent of the hippocampus and its reciprocal connections with the amygdala. In this study, experiment one established a range of behaviors on a battery of behavioral measures. In experiment two rats under went either lesions of the entire hippocampus, dorsal hippocampus, ventral hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, or sham surgery. Rats were then assessed on the behavioral tasks established in experiment one. Those rats with complete and dorsal hippocampal lesions showed deficits in spatial memory, while rats with lesions to the perirhinal cortex showed moderate deficits in object memory, suggesting a functional dissociation between the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex as well as between the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Additionally, rats with ventral hippocampal and perirhinal cortex lesions showed decreased anxiety, suggesting a functional relationship between the structures in emotion processing.
Faculty Sponsor
Martha Arterberry
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Psychology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Social Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
751
Differential Contributions of the Hippocampus and Perirhinal Cortex to Memory and Emotion
Diamond 122
This study will explore the processing of memory and emotion in the medial temporal lobe using rats. Previous research reveals separable roles of the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex in memory and dissociations within the hippocampus based on memory and emotion -- dorsal hippocampus being critical for memory and ventral hippocampus contributing to emotion. The role of the perirhinal cortex in emotion is not well understood but we hypothesize its involvement based on its projections through the septo-temporal extent of the hippocampus and its reciprocal connections with the amygdala. In this study, experiment one established a range of behaviors on a battery of behavioral measures. In experiment two rats under went either lesions of the entire hippocampus, dorsal hippocampus, ventral hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, or sham surgery. Rats were then assessed on the behavioral tasks established in experiment one. Those rats with complete and dorsal hippocampal lesions showed deficits in spatial memory, while rats with lesions to the perirhinal cortex showed moderate deficits in object memory, suggesting a functional dissociation between the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex as well as between the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Additionally, rats with ventral hippocampal and perirhinal cortex lesions showed decreased anxiety, suggesting a functional relationship between the structures in emotion processing.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/325