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Hippocampal lesions disrupt navigation based on cognitive maps but not heading vectors

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  • John M. Pearce

    (School of Psychology, Cardiff University)

  • Amanda D. L. Roberts

    (School of Psychology, Cardiff University)

  • Mark Good

    (School of Psychology, Cardiff University)

Abstract

Animals can find a hidden goal in several ways. They might use a cognitive map that encodes information about the geometric relationship between the goal and two or more landmarks1. Alternatively, they might use a heading vector that specifies the direction and distance of the goal from a single landmark2. Rats with damage to the hippocampus have difficulty in finding a hidden goal3. Here we determine which of the above strategies is affected by such damage. Rats were required to swim in a water maze to a submerged platform, which was always at the same distance and direction from a landmark. The platform and landmark remained in the same place for the four trials of each session, but they were moved to a new position at the start of a session4. Rats with damage to the hippocampus found the platform more efficiently than did normal rats in the first trial of a session but, in contrast to normal rats, their performance did not improve during a session. Our results indicate that hippocampally damaged rats are able to navigate by means of heading vectors but not cognitive maps.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Pearce & Amanda D. L. Roberts & Mark Good, 1998. "Hippocampal lesions disrupt navigation based on cognitive maps but not heading vectors," Nature, Nature, vol. 396(6706), pages 75-77, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:396:y:1998:i:6706:d:10.1038_23941
    DOI: 10.1038/23941
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