Spatial memory and adaptive specialization of the hippocampus

Sherry, David F.; Jacobs, Lucia F.; Gaulin, Steven J. C.

doi:10.1016/0166-2236(92)90080-r

Cited by 376 publications

(251 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This is the first lesion and transplantation study in adult birds that shows significant spatial memory impairments produced by small ibotenic acid lesions of the avian hippocampus and a successful reversal of these spatial memory deficits by neural transplantation of homologous H tissue, but by neither heterologous telencephalon tissue nor neural transplantation per se. The disruption of performance on behavioral tasks involving spatial information processing by aspiration lesions of the avian Hf has been demonstrated previously Sherry et al, 1992) and is supported here with smaller, excitotoxic lesions of the Hf. Compared with aspiration lesions, which resulted in the removal of ϳ37% of the total volume of the hippocampus , together with some damage to extra-Hf tissue, the excitotoxic lesions in this study were localized to the Hf and only removed up to 2.9% of the Hf, while still producing significant effects on behavioral performance.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Hippocampal Tissue Transplants Reverse Lesion-Induced Spatial Memory Deficits in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

1997

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The avian hippocampal formation (Hf ) plays an important role in spatial memory for food storing. Here we examined the effects of excitotoxic lesions of the Hf and subsequent neural transplantation on a one-trial associative memory task in zebra finches. The results showed (1) that small ibotenic acid lesions of the dorsal Hf of zebra finches produced significant spatial memory impairments compared with controls, sham-lesioned birds, and prelesion performance; and (2) that Hf-lesioned birds given transplants of embryonic hippocampal (H) tissue, but not those given transplants of embryonic anterior telencephalon (AT ) tissue, showed a significant reversal of the performance deficits on the spatial memory task. Lesioned-only birds and lesioned birds given H or AT transplants that did not survive did not show behavioral improvement. Sham-lesioned and untreated control birds maintained good performance throughout the experiment. The H and AT transplants were found to be growing partially within the Hf and partially within the underlying ventricle. The transplants appeared healthy and contained neurons with beaded and unbeaded fibers (shown by immunohistochemistry with antibodies to parvalbumin, substance P, and a 200 kDa neurofilament protein). Blood vessels and erythrocytes were also present within the transplants. The results show that neural transplants can survive within the bird brain and that small lesions of the Hf produce significant spatial memory deficits that can only be reversed by surviving homologous H transplants, and not by heterologous telencephalon transplants.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Hippocampal Tissue Transplants Reverse Lesion-Induced Spatial Memory Deficits in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

1997

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“…Many of these studies have been interpreted as supporting the notion that the hippocampus is selectively involved in spatial cognition and, in particular, in the creation and use of cognitive maps (Bingman, Ioale, Casini, & Bagnoli, 1988;Sherry, Jacobs, & Gaulin, 1992;Salas, Broglio, & Rodriguez, 2003;Jacobs & Schenk, 2003). However, this interpretation is challenged by several of the studies outlined above that demonstrate a critical role for the hippocampus in a variety of non-spatial memory tasks.…”

Section: Spatial Functions Of the Hippocampusmentioning

confidence: 79%

Comparative Cognition, Hippocampal Function, and Recollection

Eichenbaum¹

2006

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“…By linking behaviour, physiology, morphology and neurobiology to ecology and evolution (the 'neuroecological' approach), recent work in the field has placed memory and memory use into an ecological and evolutionary framework (Pravosudov & Smulders 2010). The leading hypothesis for the evolution of memory used to retrieve caches is the adaptive specialization hypothesis (ASH), which states that selection can modify behaviour and its underlying neural mechanisms if such modifications enhance fitness (Krebs et al 1989;Sherry et al , 1992. This hypothesis allows us to address two separate, but related questions: (i) what are the selective pressures and evolutionary processes through which evolution can affect brain structure and function and (ii) how does brain structure relate to brain function?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is bigger always better? A critical appraisal of the use of volumetric analysis in the study of the hippocampus

Roth

Brodin

Smulders

et al. 2010

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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A well-developed spatial memory is important for many animals, but appears especially important for scatter-hoarding species. Consequently, the scatter-hoarding system provides an excellent paradigm in which to study the integrative aspects of memory use within an ecological and evolutionary framework. One of the main tenets of this paradigm is that selection for enhanced spatial memory for cache locations should specialize the brain areas involved in memory. One such brain area is the hippocampus (Hp). Many studies have examined this adaptive specialization hypothesis, typically relating spatial memory to Hp volume. However, it is unclear how the volume of the Hp is related to its function for spatial memory. Thus, the goal of this article is to evaluate volume as a main measurement of the degree of morphological and physiological adaptation of the Hp as it relates to memory. We will briefly review the evidence for the specialization of memory in food-hoarding animals and discuss the philosophy behind volume as the main currency. We will then examine the problems associated with this approach, attempting to understand the advantages and limitations of using volume and discuss alternatives that might yield more specific hypotheses. Overall, there is strong evidence that the Hp is involved in the specialization of spatial memory in scatter-hoarding animals. However, volume may be only a coarse proxy for more relevant and subtle changes in the structure of the brain underlying changes in behaviour. To better understand the nature of this brain/memory relationship, we suggest focusing on more specific and relevant features of the Hp, such as the number or size of neurons, variation in connectivity depending on dendritic and axonal arborization and the number of synapses. These should generate more specific hypotheses derived from a solid theoretical background and should provide a better understanding of both neural mechanisms of memory and their evolution.

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Spatial memory and adaptive specialization of the hippocampus

Cited by 376 publications

References 28 publications

Hippocampal Tissue Transplants Reverse Lesion-Induced Spatial Memory Deficits in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Hippocampal Tissue Transplants Reverse Lesion-Induced Spatial Memory Deficits in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Comparative Cognition, Hippocampal Function, and Recollection

Is bigger always better? A critical appraisal of the use of volumetric analysis in the study of the hippocampus

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