Lateralization of Spatial Learning in the Avian Hippocampal Formation

The authors investigated lateralization of spatial learning within the avian hippocampal formation (HF). In Experiment 1, homing pigeons ( Columba livia ) with unilateral lesions of the right or left HF were trained to locate a goal in a square room containing local landmarks and global room cues. A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioral neuroscience 2004-04, Vol.118 (2), p.333-344
Main Authors: Kahn, Meghan C, Bingman, Verner P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomical correlates of behavior
Animal
Animal cognition
Animals
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Birds
Brain
Choice Behavior
Cognition - physiology
Columba livia
Columbidae
Cues
Functional Laterality - physiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hippocampus
Hippocampus - anatomy & histology
Hippocampus - physiology
Lateral Dominance
Learning
Learning. Memory
Lesions
Navigation
Neurology
Pigeons
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Space Perception - physiology
Spatial Learning
Spatial Orientation (Perception)
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Summary:The authors investigated lateralization of spatial learning within the avian hippocampal formation (HF). In Experiment 1, homing pigeons ( Columba livia ) with unilateral lesions of the right or left HF were trained to locate a goal in a square room containing local landmarks and global room cues. All groups learned the task. During probe trials, when landmarks were rotated or removed, intact pigeons and left HF-lesioned pigeons relied exclusively on global room cues to locate the food goal. Pigeons with right HF lesions were the only group to demonstrably use the landmarks. The results suggest that the right HF is preferentially involved in the representation of global environmental space, whereas only the left HF may be sensitive to local landmarks for navigation.
ISSN:0735-7044
1939-0084
DOI:10.1037/0735-7044.118.2.333