Removal of the hippocampus and transection of the fornix produce comparable deficits on delayed non-matching to position by rats

Abstract

Rats with radiofrequency lesions of the fimbria/fornix or with extensive aspiration lesions of the hippocampal region (the hippocampus proper, dentate gyrus, and subicular complex) were tested on their performance of a delayed non-matching to position task which had been learnt before surgery. On a given trial, one of two sample levers was presented in a random manner. Following a response on this lever and a subsequent delay, both levers were presented and reward was now contingent on a response on the lever that was not used as the sample. Both lesions produced equivalent performance deficits on this test of spatial working memory, the pattern of these deficits being consistent with a mnemonic impairment. The lack of difference between these two groups on a variety of performance measures indicates that hippocampal connections passing through the fornix are not only necessary for this test, but that non-fornical hippocampal connections appear unable on their own to maintain accurate responding.