Spatial localization does not require the presence of local cues

Morris, Richard

doi:10.1016/0023-9690(81)90020-5

Cited by 2,478 publications

(1,531 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Hence, for the water maze at least, movement through the environment seems to be an important constraint on highly proficient spatial learning and navigation. The use of a separate dry land task by Comba et al with less motoric demands seems to be in agreement with the difference in motor demands between the original rodent version of the task 10 requiring swimming and the human virtual version 9 using minimal hand/finger movements to navigate. The role of dynamic movement during spatial tasks and the motoric demands have been topics of intense interest with the role of the hippocampus as a substrate for cognitive mapping 11, 12 , path integration 13– 17 , or the conductor of a symphony of dynamic movement and mapping 18 as part of a larger neural network of brain systems 19 have all been hotly debated theoretically over the years.…”

Section: Review Of the Broader Issue: “Behavioral Typology”supporting

confidence: 64%

Hippocampal development and the dissociation of cognitive-spatial mapping from motor performance

2015

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The publication of a recent article in F1000Research has led to discussion of, and correspondence on a broader issue that has a long history in the fields of neuroscience and psychology. Namely, is it possible to separate the cognitive components of performance, in this case spatial behavior, from the motoric demands of a task? Early psychological experiments attempted such a dissociation by studying a form of spatial maze learning where initially rats were allowed to explore a complex maze, termed “latent learning,” before reinforcement was introduced. Those rats afforded the latent learning experience solved the task faster than those that were not, implying that cognitive map learning during exploration aided in the performance of the task once a motivational component was introduced. This form of latent learning was interpreted as successfully demonstrating that an exploratory cognitive map component was acquired irrespective of performing a learned spatial response under deprivation/motivational conditions. The neural substrate for cognitive learning was hypothesized to depend on place cells within the hippocampus. Subsequent behavioral studies attempted to directly eliminate the motor component of spatial learning by allowing rats to passively view the distal environment before performing any motor response using a task that is widely considered to be hippocampal-dependent. Latent learning in the water maze, using a passive placement procedure has met with mixed results. One constraint on viewing cues before performing a learned swimming response to a hidden goal has been the act of dynamically viewing distal cues while moving through a part of the environment where an optimal learned spatial escape response would be observed. We briefly review these past findings obtained with adult animals to the recent efforts of establishing a “behavioral topology” separating cognitive-spatial learning from tasks differing in motoric demands in an attempt to define when cognitive-spatial behavior emerges during development.

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Section: Review Of the Broader Issue: “Behavioral Typology”supporting

confidence: 64%

Hippocampal development and the dissociation of cognitive-spatial mapping from motor performance

2015

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“…In contrast, the success rate of the taxon strategy did not increase significantly during training, suggesting that the taxon strategy was (Morris, 1981). B: Constant-start condition (Eichenbaum et al, 1990).…”

Section: Simulation 2: Hidden Goal Navigation In the Water Mazementioning

confidence: 98%

Is there a geometric module for spatial orientation? Insights from a rodent navigation model.

Sheynikhovich¹,

Chavarriaga²,

Strösslin³

et al. 2009

Psychological Review

101

145

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Modern psychological theories of spatial cognition postulate the existence of a geometric module for reorientation. This concept is derived from experimental data showing that in rectangular arenas with distinct landmarks in the corners, disoriented rats often make diagonal errors, suggesting their preference for the geometric (arena shape) over the nongeometric (landmarks) cues. Moreover, sensitivity of hippocampal cell firing to changes in the environment layout was taken in support of the geometric module hypothesis. Using a computational model of rat navigation, the authors proposed and tested the alternative hypothesis that the influence of spatial geometry on both behavioral and neuronal levels can be explained by the properties of visual features that constitute local views of the environment. Their modeling results suggest that the pattern of diagonal errors observed in reorientation tasks can be understood by the analysis of sensory information processing that underlies the navigation strategy employed to solve the task. In particular, 2 navigation strategies were considered: (a) a place-based locale strategy that relies on a model of grid and place cells and (b) a stimulus-response taxon strategy that involves direct association of local views with action choices. The authors showed that the application of the 2 strategies in the reorientation tasks results in different patterns of diagonal errors, consistent with behavioral data. These results argue against the geometric module hypothesis by providing a simpler and biologically more plausible explanation for the related experimental data. Moreover, the same model also describes behavioral results in different types of water-maze tasks.

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“…The Morris water maze 37 has been used extensively to examine learning and memory deficits in stroke and many other neurological models. Damage to many different areas in the forebrain can be detected using various versions of this task.…”

Section: Cognitive Function: Moving Platform and Strategy Switching Vmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral tests for preclinical intervention assessment

Schallert

2006

NeuroRX

219

172

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Summary: Select functional outcome tests commonly used for evaluating sensorimotor and cognitive capacity in rodents with focal intracerebral ischemic or hemorrhagic injury are described, along with upgrades and issues of concern for translational research. An emphasis is placed on careful quantitative and qualitative assessment of acute and long-term behavioral deficits, and on avoidance of frequent pitfalls. Methods for detecting different degrees of injury and treatment-related improvements are included. Determining the true potential of an intervention requires a set of behavioral analyses that can monitor compensatory learning. In a number of preclinical outcome tests, animals can develop remarkably effective "tricks" that are difficult to detect but frequently lead to dramatic improvements in performance, particularly with repeated practice. However, some interventions may facilitate learning without promoting brain repair, but these may not translate into a meaningful level of benefit in the clinic. Additionally, it is important to determine whether there are any preinjury functional asymmetries in order to accurately assess damage-related changes in behavior. This is illustrated by the fact that some animals have chronic endogenous asymmetries and that others, albeit infrequently, can sustain a spontaneous cerebral stroke, without any experimental induction, that can lead to chronic deficits as reflected by behavioral, imaging, and histological analyses. Finally, a useful new modification of the water maze that involves moving the platform from trial to trial within the target quadrant is reviewed, and its advantages over the standard version are discussed.

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Spatial localization does not require the presence of local cues

Cited by 2,478 publications

References 16 publications

Hippocampal development and the dissociation of cognitive-spatial mapping from motor performance

Hippocampal development and the dissociation of cognitive-spatial mapping from motor performance

Is there a geometric module for spatial orientation? Insights from a rodent navigation model.

Behavioral tests for preclinical intervention assessment

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