Spontaneous perseverative turning in rats with radiation-induced hippocampal damage

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Behavioral Neuroscience; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.103.4.722· OSTI ID:5405500

Mickley, G A; Ferguson, J L; Nemeth, T J; Mulvihill, M A; Alderks, C E ^[1]

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1. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD (USA)

This study found a new behavioral correlate of lesions specific to the dentate granule cell layer of the hippocampus: spontaneous perseverative turning. Irradiation of a portion of the neonatal rat cerebral hemispheres produced hypoplasia of the granule cell layer of the hippocampal dentate gyrus while sparing the rest of the brain. Radiation-induced damage to the hippocampal formation caused rats placed in bowls to spontaneously turn in long, slow bouts without reversals. Irradiated subjects also exhibited other behaviors characteristic of hippocampal damage (e.g., perseveration in spontaneous exploration of the arms of a T-maze, retarded acquisition of a passive avoidance task, and increased horizontal locomotion). These data extend previously reported behavioral correlates of fascia dentata lesions and suggest the usefulness of a bout analysis of spontaneous bowl turning as a measure of nondiscrete-trial spontaneous alternation and a sensitive additional indicator of radiation-induced hippocampal damage.

• OSTI ID: 5405500
• Journal Information: Behavioral Neuroscience; (USA), Journal Name: Behavioral Neuroscience; (USA) Vol. 103:4; ISSN BENED; ISSN 0735-7044
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
HIPPOCAMPUS
LEARNING
MAMMALS
NEONATES
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANS
PREGNANCY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RATS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES