Summary
Rats were trained to run in an alley for food reward given on every trial (continuous reinforcement, CR) or on a random 50% of trials (partial reinforcement, PR) and were then extinguished. Sham-operated controls showed the usual partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE), i.e., PR-trained animals were more resistant to extinction than CR-trained animals. The PREE was abolished by hippocampectomy, which increased resistance to extinction in CR-trained rats and decreased it in PR-trained rats. Bilateral fimbria section had no effect on resistance to extinction in either condition. These results are discussed in the light of theories of hippocampal function and the anatomy of septohippocampal connections.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altman, J., Brunner, R.L., Bayer, S.: The hippocampus and behavioral maturation. Behav. Biol. 8, 557–596 (1973)
Amsel, A.: Behavioral habituation, counterconditioning, and a general theory of persistence. In: Classical conditioning II: Current research and theory, Black, A.H., Prokasy, W.F. (eds.), pp. 409–426. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts 1972
Amsel A., Glazer, H., Lakey, J.R., McCuller, T., Wong, P.T.P.: Introduction of acoustic stimulation during acquisition and resistance to extinction in the normal and hippocampally damaged rat. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 84, 176–186 (1973)
Andersen, P., Bland, B.H., Dudar, J.D.: Organisation of the hippocampal output. Exp. Brain Res. 17, 152–168 (1973)
Black, A.H., Nadel, L., O'Keefe, J.: Hippocampal function in avoidance learning and punishment. Psychol. Bull. 84, 1107–1129 (1977)
Bloom, J.M., McFarlain, R.A.: Hippocampal lesions and the partial reinforcement effect. Psychol. Rep. 29, 831–837 (1971)
Brunner, R.L.: A cross-sectional study of behavior at three ages after neonatal X-irradiation of the hippocampus. Behav. Biol. 22, 211–218 (1978)
Brunner, R.L., Haggbloom, S.J., Gazzara, R.A.: Effects of hippocampal X-irradiation produced granule-cell agenesis on instrumental runway performance in rats. Physiol. Behav. 13, 485–494 (1974)
Capaldi, E.J.: The effect of different amounts of training on the resistance to extinction of different patterns of partially reinforced responses. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 51, 36–71 (1958)
Capaldi, E.J., Berg, R.F., Sparling, D.L.: Trial spacing and emotionality in the rat. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 76, 290–299 (1971)
Donovick, P.J.: Effects of localised septal lesions on hippocampal EEG activity and behaviour in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 66, 569–578 (1968)
Douglas, R.J.: The hippocampus and behaviour. Psych. Bull. 67, 416–442 (1967)
Feldon, J., Gray, J.A.: Effects of medial and lateral septal lesions on the partial reinforcement extinction effect at one trial a day. Quart. J. Exp. Psychol. 31 (in press) (1979a)
Feldon, J., Gray, J.A.: Effects of medial and lateral septal lesions on the partial reinforcement extinction effect at short intertrial intervals. tQuart. J. Exp. Psychol. 31 (in press) (1979b)
Franchina, J.J., Brown, T.S.: Response patterning and extinction in rats with hippocampal lesions. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 70, 66–72 (1970)
Gray, J.A.: Sodium amobarbital, the hippocampal theta rhythm and the partial reinforcement extinction effect. Psychol. Rev. 77, 465–480 (1970)
Gray, L.A., Quintao, L., Araujo-Silva, M.T.: The partial reinforcement effect in rats with medial septal lesions. Physiol. Behav. 8, 491–496 (1972)
Gray, J.A., Feldon, J., Rawlins, J.N.P., Owen, S., McNaughton, N.: The role of the septo-hippocampal system and its noradrenergic afférents in behavioural responses to non-reward. In: Functions of the septohippocampal system. Ciba Foundation Symposium No. 58 (New Series), Elliott, K., Whelan, J. (eds.), pp. 275–300. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1978
Henke, P.G.: Persistance of runway performance after septal lesions in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 86, 760–767 (1974)
Henke, P.G.: Dissociation of the frustration effect and the partial reinforcement extinction effect after limbic lesions in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 91, 1032–1038 (1977)
Jarrard, L.E.: Anatomical and behavioural analysis of hippocampal cell fields in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 90, 1035–1050 (1976)
Jarrard, L.E.: Selective hippocampal lesions: differential effects on performance by rats of a spatial task with preoperative vs. postoperative training. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 92, 1119–1127 (1978)
Jarrard, L.E., Isaacson, R.L.: Runway response perseveration in the hippocampectomised rat: Determined by extinction variables. Nature 207, 109–110 (1965)
Konig, J.F.R., Klippel, R.A.: The rat brain. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins 1963
McCleary, R.A.: Response-modulating functions of the limbic system: Initiation and suppression. In: Progress in physiological psychology, E. Stellar, J.M. Sprague (eds.), Vol. I, pp. 210–272. New York: Academic Press 1966
Meibach, R.C., Siegel, A.S: Efferent connections of the septal area in the rat: an analysis utilizing retrograde and anterograde transport methods. Brain Res. 119, 1–20 (1977a)
Meibach, R.C., Siegel, A.: Efferent connections of the hippocampal formation in the rat. Brain Res. 124, 197–224 (1977b)
O'Keefe, J., Nadel, L.: The hippocampus as a cognitive map. Oxford: Oxford University Press 1978
Olton, D.S.: Spatial memory. Scientific American 236, 82–98 (1977)
Petsche, H., Stumpf, Ch., Gogolak, G.: The significance of the rabbit's septum as a relay station between the midbrain and the hippocampus. I. The control of hippocampus arousal activity by the septum cells. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 14, 202–211 (1962)
Rawlins, J.N.P.: Associative and non-associative mechanisms in the development of tolerance of stress: The problem of statedependent learning. Proceedings of NATO conference on Coping and Health (in press)
Rawlins, J.N.P., Bennett, R.C.: A headholder for visually guided surgery in rats. Physiol. Behav. (in press)
Rawlins, J.N.P., Feldon, J., Gray, J.A.: Septo-hippocampal connections and the hippocampal theta rhythm. Exp. Brain Res. 36 (in press) (1979)
Swanson, L.W.: The anatomical organisation of septo-hippocampal projections. In: Functions of the septo-hippocampal system, Elliott, K., Whelan, J. (eds.), Ciba Foundation Symposium No. 58 (New series), pp. 25–43. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1978
Vinogradova, O.S., Brazhnik, E.S.: Neuronal aspects of septohippocampal relations. In: Functions of the septo-hippocampal system, Elliot, K., Whelan, J. (eds.), Ciba Foundation Symposium No. 58 (New Series), pp. 145–170. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1978
Winocur, G., Mills, J.A.: Hippocampus and septum in response inhibition. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 67, 352–357 (1969)
Winson, J.: Loss of hippocampal theta rhythm results in spatial memory deficit in the rat. Science 201, 160–163 (1978)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rawlins, J.N.P., Feldon, J. & Gray, J.A. The effects of hippocampectomy and of fimbria section upon the partial reinforcement extinction effect in rats. Exp Brain Res 38, 273–283 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236646
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236646