[One-trial visual recognition in cats: the role of the rhinal cortex].

Visual recognition memory in primates is mediated at least in part by the perirhinal and entorhinal (i.e., rhinal) cortices. To examine the role of these structures in cats' visual recognition memory, we performed combined electrolytic rhinal (perirhinal and entorhinal) lesions in a group of cats trained in visual delayed matching-to-sample with trial-unique objects in the modified Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus. Sham-operated and intact cats were used as control groups. Cats with rhinal lesions did not differ from the control sham-operated and unoperated groups in initial learning of the rules of the task; difference between experimental and control groups under conditions of minimum 5-sec delay was nonsignificant as well. However, significant difference between experimental and control groups was revealed under conditions of testing with 10-sec delay. This finding suggests a disorder in the visual recognition memory.