Thalamic role in spatial memory.

The contribution of structures in the limbic diencephalon to spatial memory function was investigated. Rats with lesions of either the anteroventral thalamus, anteromedial thalamus, dorsomedial thalamus or mammillary bodies were compared in their ability to perform a delayed alternation task. The results indicate the ablation of the thalamic nuclei did not impair delayed-alternation memory, but there was impairment following damage to the mammillary bodies. Placement of the discrete lesions was verified using Nissl sections and by tracing the pattern of projections using a silver degeneration stain. The results suggest that individual thalamic nuclei are not essential in the storage and/or retrieval of spatial memory. The data are discussed in terms of spatial deficits resulting from damage to the hippocampus proper or to the pathways connecting it to other brain structures.