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A double dissociation between the effects of sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation and hippocampal lesions on learning

A double dissociation between the effects of sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation and hippocampal lesions on learning
A double dissociation between the effects of sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation and hippocampal lesions on learning
Immune system activation has been found to affect the function of the hippocampus. Sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation impairs performance of species-typical behaviours that are also disrupted by hippocampal lesions in rodents. In a series of experiments the effect of a low, sub-pyrogenic dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hippocampus-dependent learning and memory was tested. LPS failed to impair hippocampus-dependent spatial reference memory and working memory. However, LPS affected learning a simple side-discrimination task in which an arm of a T-maze was rewarded (correct arm), and the other arm was never rewarded (incorrect arm). Whereas LPS actually enhanced performance when reward was available on every trial in the correct arm, LPS impaired learning when the correct arm was rewarded on 50% of trials. Hippocampal lesions did not impair either the continuous or partial reinforcement versions of the task. These results demonstrate that a low, sub-pyrogenic dose of LPS can impair cognitive function, but can, depending on the demands of the task, also facilitate learning. However, the double dissociation between the effects of LPS and hippocampal lesions demonstrate that sub-pyrogenic inflammation does not affect learning by disrupting hippocampal function.
hippocampus, lesion, mouse, inflammation, spatial learning, memory
0166-4328
103-111
Sanderson, David J.
1e806cf7-f304-4bd1-8a2e-5f9d57caeb91
Cunningham, Colm
3bc1d897-f0f5-4112-abf4-1a10c2e92a6b
Deacon, Robert M.J.
5e6a7058-2bbf-45f3-8c55-09a7f4a1dc9f
Bannerman, David M
c9043df1-8a3c-4784-81a0-09b5ee2975e0
Perry, V. Hugh
8f29d36a-8e1f-4082-8700-09483bbaeae4
Rawlins, J. Nicholas P.
99be6756-f34d-4880-8e7b-6f7ba2f6d92e
Sanderson, David J.
1e806cf7-f304-4bd1-8a2e-5f9d57caeb91
Cunningham, Colm
3bc1d897-f0f5-4112-abf4-1a10c2e92a6b
Deacon, Robert M.J.
5e6a7058-2bbf-45f3-8c55-09a7f4a1dc9f
Bannerman, David M
c9043df1-8a3c-4784-81a0-09b5ee2975e0
Perry, V. Hugh
8f29d36a-8e1f-4082-8700-09483bbaeae4
Rawlins, J. Nicholas P.
99be6756-f34d-4880-8e7b-6f7ba2f6d92e

Sanderson, David J., Cunningham, Colm, Deacon, Robert M.J., Bannerman, David M, Perry, V. Hugh and Rawlins, J. Nicholas P. (2009) A double dissociation between the effects of sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation and hippocampal lesions on learning. Behavioural Brain Research, 201 (1), 103-111. (doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2009.01.038).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Immune system activation has been found to affect the function of the hippocampus. Sub-pyrogenic systemic inflammation impairs performance of species-typical behaviours that are also disrupted by hippocampal lesions in rodents. In a series of experiments the effect of a low, sub-pyrogenic dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hippocampus-dependent learning and memory was tested. LPS failed to impair hippocampus-dependent spatial reference memory and working memory. However, LPS affected learning a simple side-discrimination task in which an arm of a T-maze was rewarded (correct arm), and the other arm was never rewarded (incorrect arm). Whereas LPS actually enhanced performance when reward was available on every trial in the correct arm, LPS impaired learning when the correct arm was rewarded on 50% of trials. Hippocampal lesions did not impair either the continuous or partial reinforcement versions of the task. These results demonstrate that a low, sub-pyrogenic dose of LPS can impair cognitive function, but can, depending on the demands of the task, also facilitate learning. However, the double dissociation between the effects of LPS and hippocampal lesions demonstrate that sub-pyrogenic inflammation does not affect learning by disrupting hippocampal function.

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More information

Published date: 19 July 2009
Additional Information: Research report
Keywords: hippocampus, lesion, mouse, inflammation, spatial learning, memory

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 80006
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/80006
ISSN: 0166-4328
PURE UUID: 307152f6-7220-44f8-a6c5-8c76563b7ee3

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Date deposited: 23 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 00:34

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Contributors

Author: David J. Sanderson
Author: Colm Cunningham
Author: Robert M.J. Deacon
Author: David M Bannerman
Author: V. Hugh Perry
Author: J. Nicholas P. Rawlins

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