Graham R B, Navey B R, Bass E W, Holsten R D, Means L W
Psychology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
Physiol Behav. 1998 Feb 15;63(4):635-42. doi: 10.1016/s0031-9384(97)00511-8.
In an attempt to clarify the nature of the memory cues used in a spatial, working memory task, rats were tested in a two-choice water maze. Each trial consisted of an information run, which forced the rat to the correct choice compartment, a retention period, and a test run. A response-associated cue condition, in which the relevant cue was the direction of the turn in the information run, was compared to a visual cue condition in which the animal had to remember whether the escape platform had been in the light or dark compartment. Of the subjects supplied with either visual or response-associated cues, the subjects allowed to employ response-associated cues did better, but the best performance occurred when both cues were available. When rats trained with both cues present were forced to choose between cues, they stopped using either and reverted to making a preferred right or left turn. The results support the idea that rats can form integrated, relational-cue memories which, in some circumstances, prove a hindrance to performance.
为了阐明在空间工作记忆任务中所使用的记忆线索的本质，对大鼠进行了双选水迷宫测试。每次试验包括一次信息跑，它迫使大鼠到达正确的选择隔室、一个保持期和一次测试跑。将一种与反应相关的线索条件（其中相关线索是信息跑中的转弯方向）与一种视觉线索条件进行比较，在视觉线索条件下动物必须记住逃生平台是在亮隔室还是暗隔室。在提供视觉或与反应相关线索的受试大鼠中，允许使用与反应相关线索的受试大鼠表现更好，但当两种线索都可用时表现最佳。当同时呈现两种线索进行训练的大鼠被迫在线索之间进行选择时，它们不再使用任何一种线索，而是恢复到做出偏好的右转或左转。结果支持了这样一种观点，即大鼠可以形成整合的、关系线索记忆，在某些情况下，这种记忆被证明会妨碍表现。
