Bilateral ablation of the putamen results in temporary disappearance of natural as well as artificial conditioned motor reflexes in cats. Further training is necessary for their reestablishment. Restored conditioned reflexes appear with a long latency. After partial bilateral ablation of the putamen, animals that have been trained not only to press a pedal, but also to make a choice between a right or left feeding tray, lose the latter ability. After the reestablishment of conditioned reflexes, the animal makes a correct choice of side only in 68--70% of cases. After total bilateral ablation of the putamen the animals lose artificial conditioned reflexes. The results suggest that the putamen has a close relation to the mechanisms of learning and memory.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Participation of the basal ganglia in the mechanism of visual memory in the rat].

Studies have been made of the effect of bilateral injury of paleo-, archi- and neostriatum, as well as that of the nucleus ruber on adaptive behaviour in albino rats. It was shown that injury of the basal structures of the brain results in disturbances of optimal visual choice of a food signal. The data obtained are discussed from a standpoint of disturbances in operative memory of visual signals. It is suggested that during evolutionary development, when the higher brain functions pass to neocortex, the basal ganglia do not loose their initial role in the higher analytical-synthetic activity.

Adaptation, Physiological↗