Recent research in the neurobiology of primate memory has called into question the role of the hippocampal formation in memory processing. Instead the (ento- and peri-) rhinal cortical areas seem to be the neural areas crucial for memory. Because monkeys are typically tested in single-item recognition memory tasks which human amnesiacs with hippocampal damage can solve, a monkey task similar to the amnesic patients' memory tasks needed to be developed. We have developed such a task; it is a list memory task in which monkeys can perform well. This task provides serial position primacy and recency effects (good memory for the first and last items, respectively) which reflect separate underlying memory processes. Three groups of 6 monkeys each will receive either bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the hippocampal formation, bilateral aspiration lesions of the rhinal cortex, or none (controls). They will be tested pre- and post-surgically in the list memory task in which retention interval and interference will be parametrically manipulated over a substantial range. These manipulations have been shown to produce significant and definable changes in primacy and recency effects of the serial position function. Performance of the operated monkeys will be compared to that of control animals and their own pre-surgical performance in the list-memory task. This project is designed to further our understanding of the neural basis of memory processing and may provide insights into the neural substrates underlying human cognitive processes and deficits associated with aging and disease states, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH054167-03
Application #
2675336
Study Section
Psychobiology, Behavior, and Neuroscience Review Committee (PBN)
Project Start
1996-09-30
Project End
2001-04-30
Budget Start
1998-05-02
Budget End
1999-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77225
Wright, Anthony A; Rivera, Jacquelyne J; Katz, Jeffrey S et al. (2003) Abstract-concept learning and list-memory processing by capuchin and rhesus monkeys. J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process 29:184-98
Wright, Anthony A (2002) Monkey auditory list memory: tests with mixed and blocked retention delays. Anim Learn Behav 30:158-64
Katz, Jeffrey S; Wright, Anthony A; Bachevalier, Jocelyne (2002) Mechanisms of same/different abstract-concept learning by rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process 28:358-68
Bachevalier, J; Alvarado, M C; Malkova, L (1999) Memory and socioemotional behavior in monkeys after hippocampal damage incurred in infancy or in adulthood. Biol Psychiatry 46:329-39
Pascalis, O; Bachevalier, J (1999) Neonatal aspiration lesions of the hippocampal formation impair visual recognition memory when assessed by paired-comparison task but not by delayed nonmatching-to-sample task. Hippocampus 9:609-16
Wright, A A; Rivera, J J (1997) Memory of auditory lists by rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process 23:441-9