Abstract
Extensive evidence indicates that the nucleus accumbens is involved in spatial learning and memory tasks. There has been relatively little inquiry, however, into which of the two anatomically and functionally distinct subregions of the nucleus accumbens (the shell and the core) mediate this involvement. To investigate this issue, male Sprague–Dawley rats implanted with bilateral intracerebral guide cannulae aimed at the medial shell or core were given eight training trials in the standard hidden platform version of the Morris water maze, immediately followed by intracerebral microinfusions of the D2 dopamine antagonist sulphide or saline vehicle. A probe trial retention test 2 days later revealed that sulphide microinfusions into the shell significantly increased latency to reach the platform location, whereas sulphide microinfusions into the core significantly decreased the time spent swimming near the platform location and significantly increased the time spent swimming in the maze periphery. The results suggest that the nucleus accumbens shell and core may be involved in the consolidation of memory for different aspects of water maze task performance.
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This material is based on work supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship (to B.S.) and NIMH Research Grant MH12526 (to J.L.M.).
We thank My T. Kha, Christian A. Pham, and Michelle B. Uaje for their invaluable technical assistance and Nancy Collett for editorial assistance.
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Setlow, B., McGaugh, J.L. Differential effects of immediate posttraining sulphide microinfusions into the nucleus accumbens shell and core on Morris water maze retention. Psychobiology 27, 248–255 (1999). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332118
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332118