The primary purpose of the present proposal is to test whether there is a correspondence between animals and humans in terms of prefrontal cortex mediation of memory function and to determine whether specific sub-regions of the prefrontal cortex (e.g., medial precentral, anterior cingulate, infralimbic and prelimbic, dorsolateral frontal or lateral precentral, agranular insular, and ventromedial orbital cortex) differentially mediate specific working memory functions for different attributes as well as mediate higher- order relationships based on temporal ordering of information and paired associate learning. Previous research in rats with prefrontal cortex lesions has suggested that rats also have difficulty in working memory for different attributes, difficulty in temporal ordering of specific attribute information, difficulty in learning and retention of paired associate attribute information and furthermore that different sub- regions may mediate these attributes. In order to elaborate further on the role of different sub-regions of the prefrontal cortex in mediating working memory, Dr. Kesner has developed a set of behavioral tasks in which one can measure: a) not only working memory for spatial location, as defined by an object in a specific location, but also working memory for allocentric spatial distance (distance between 2 objects) and egocentric spatial distance (distance between subject and object) as well as working memory for visual objects independent of spatial location, b) working memory for an egocentric spatial (motor, right-left turn response) c) working memory for affect as measured by magnitude of reinforcement, d) a lag function for memory for order information not only for a list of spatial locations, but also for a list of visual objects, e) learning and performance of object- object, object-spatial location and spatial location-spatial location paired associate information. Dr. Kesner proposes to use this animal model as a means of continuing the investigation of the role of the prefrontal cortex in mediating working memory for specific attribute information and higher- order mnemonic processes such as temporal order and paired associate learning.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01NS020771-11
Application #
2263968
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BPO (02))
Project Start
1984-04-01
Project End
1999-01-31
Budget Start
1995-04-01
Budget End
1996-01-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Utah
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Ragozzino, Michael E; Ragozzino, Katharine E; Mizumori, Sheri J Y et al. (2002) Role of the dorsomedial striatum in behavioral flexibility for response and visual cue discrimination learning. Behav Neurosci 116:105-15
Adams, S; Kesner, R P; Ragozzino, M E (2001) Role of the medial and lateral caudate-putamen in mediating an auditory conditional response association. Neurobiol Learn Mem 76:106-16
Ragozzino, M E; Kesner, R P (2001) The role of rat dorsomedial prefrontal cortex in working memory for egocentric responses. Neurosci Lett 308:145-8
Ragozzino, M E; Wilcox, C; Raso, M et al. (1999) Involvement of rodent prefrontal cortex subregions in strategy switching. Behav Neurosci 113:32-41
Ragozzino, M E; Detrick, S; Kesner, R P (1999) Involvement of the prelimbic-infralimbic areas of the rodent prefrontal cortex in behavioral flexibility for place and response learning. J Neurosci 19:4585-94
Ragozzino, M E; Kesner, R P (1999) The role of the agranular insular cortex in working memory for food reward value and allocentric space in rats. Behav Brain Res 98:103-12
Ragozzino, M E; Adams, S; Kesner, R P (1998) Differential involvement of the dorsal anterior cingulate and prelimbic-infralimbic areas of the rodent prefrontal cortex in spatial working memory. Behav Neurosci 112:293-303
Ragozzino, M E; Kesner, R P (1998) The effects of muscarinic cholinergic receptor blockade in the rat anterior cingulate and Prelimbic/Infralimbic cortices on spatial working memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 69:241-57
Jackson, P A; Kesner, R P; Amann, K (1998) Memory for duration: role of hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 70:328-48
Chiba, A A; Kesner, R P; Gibson, C J (1997) Memory for temporal order of new and familiar spatial location sequences: role of the medial prefrontal cortex. Learn Mem 4:311-7

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