The role of the hippocampus in forming integrated memories for patterns of stimulation

Dumigan, Natasha 2016. The role of the hippocampus in forming integrated memories for patterns of stimulation. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The overarching aim of this thesis was to gain a better understanding of the involvement of the rodent hippocampus in configural learning and memory. To do so, I developed novel behavioural procedures to assess (i) configural integration of where and when reinforcers are delivered during conventional conditioning procedures, and (ii) configural processes involving standard stimuli during sensory preconditioning procedures. Firstly, it was important to establish that rats with hippocampal lesions are able to learn about where or when a reinforcer is presented (Experiments 1-2). I then developed appetitive and aversive conditioning procedures that enable the formation of configural memories involving what happened where and when to be studied (Experiments 3-4), and assessed the performance of rats with hippocampal lesions in these procedures (Experiments 5-7). These experiments revealed that rats with hippocampal lesions are not impaired at acquiring configural memories for patterns of stimulation requiring the integration of contextual and temporal cues. In order to further investigate the role of the hippocampus in configural learning and memory novel sensory preconditioning procedures were developed using more standard stimuli (Experiment 8). In this case, hippocampal lesions abolished a sensory preconditioning effect that was based on mediated configural learning (Experiment 9). The findings presented in this thesis suggest that the hippocampus is not involved in the acquisition of configural memories generally, or in the integration of the components of episodic-like memory. However, the results add to evidence suggesting that the hippocampus does play a general role in retrieval-mediated learning about configurations.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 May 2016
Date of Acceptance:	25 May 2016
Last Modified:	18 Aug 2021 12:58
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/91291

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