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Learning large‐scale spatial relationships in a maze and effects of MK‐801 on retrieval in the rhesus monkey
Author(s) -
Wang Jian Hong,
Zhang Bo,
Meng Zhi Qiang,
Sun Ning Lei,
Ma Man Xiu,
Zhang Hua Xian,
Tang Xiangdong,
Sanford Larry D.,
Wilson Fraser A.W.,
Hu Xin Tian,
Carlson Synnöve,
Ma YuanYe
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
developmental neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.716
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1932-846X
pISSN - 1932-8451
DOI - 10.1002/dneu.20547
Subject(s) - spatial learning , cognition , neuroscience , psychology , primate , water maze , cognitive psychology , audiology , biology , hippocampus , medicine
Monkeys have strong abilities to remember the visual properties of potential food sources for survival in the nature. The present study demonstrated the first observations of rhesus monkeys learning to solve complex spatial mazes in which routes were guided by visual cues. Three monkeys were trained in a maze (6 m × 6 m) included of four different mazes. We recorded the cue and cup errors, latencies, and pathway for each trial. The data showed that monkeys learned the target place after three days in the first maze and spent a shorter time in learning the following mazes. The maze was an efficient method to measure the ability and proceeding of spatial memory in monkeys. Moreover, working memory can also be tested by using the maze. MK‐801 at 0.02 mg/kg but not at 0.005 mg/kg impaired monkeys' retrieval of spatial memory after they learned all four mazes. The present maze may provide an efficient method to help bridging the gap in cognition between nonhuman primates and humans, and in particular to gain insight into human cognitive function and dysfunction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007.