Research article summary (published 29 Nov 1995):

Functional differences between the prelimbic and anterior cingulate regions of the rat prefrontal cortex.

Full Abstract

The effects of reversible lidocaine-induced lesions of 2 subregions of the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were examined on a series of cognitively based foraging behaviors on a radial-arm maze. Lesions of the prelimbic (PL) or anterior cingulate (AC) cortex prior to the retention phase of a delayed-foraging task disrupted performance differentially; rats with PL lesions visited arms in a random manner, whereas rats with AC lesions revisited previously baited arms preferentially. Rats with AC lesions were also impaired on a single-trial foraging task; they made numerous revisits to previously baited arms. PL lesions had no effect on performance of this task in well-trained rats. However, rats trained on the 2-phase task did not adapt to a new foraging strategy after a PL lesions, when they were switched unexpectedly to the single-trial foraging task. These data demonstrate functional heterogeneity within the rat mPFC and suggest that the PL is involved in processes through which recently acquired information is used to organize and modify foraging behavior, whereas the AC may play an important role in response flexibility.

Author information

Author/s: Seamans, J K (JK); Floresco, S B (SB); Phillips, A G (AG);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. seamans(-atsign-)unixg.ubc.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Behavioral neuroscience (Behav Neurosci), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1995-Dec; vol 109 (issue 6) : pp 1063-73

Dates: Created 1996/09/26; Completed 1996/09/26; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 8748957, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals Appetitive Behavior - physiology Attention - physiology Brain Mapping Gyrus Cinguli - physiology Limbic System - physiology Male

Maze Learning - physiology Mental Recall - physiology Neural Pathways - physiology Prefrontal Cortex - physiology Problem Solving - physiology Rats Retention (Psychology) - physiology

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