Publication Date

2018

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wallace, Douglas G.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

LCSH

Neurosciences; Behaviorism (Psychology)

Abstract

Spatial and temporal processing are critical for an animal's survival. Many neurological disorders are associated with disruptions of these processes. Converging lines of evidence have suggested that these processes are mediated by a cortico-striatal network of structures. Limited research has investigated the role of the medial agranular cortex (AGm) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in relation to their overlap in spatial and temporal processing. The current study evaluated the roles of the AGm and PPC in spatial processing and interval timing. Long-Evans rats received unilateral devascularization of either the left hemisphere AGm or PPC followed by testing in the Morris water task (MWT), dark exploration, and food protection. Unilateral damage to these structures was observed to spare performance in all three tasks with a few exceptions. AGm lesion rats were observed to travel longer distances during the first two days of acquisition and demonstrated higher degrees of changes in heading during dark exploration. The selective behavioral disruptions observed in AGm lesion rats may reflect impairments in egocentric-spatial or attentional processing.

Comments

Advisor: Wallace, Douglas G.||Committee members: Cheatwood, Joseph; Grippo, Angela; Matuszewich, Leslie.||Includes illustrations.||Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

136 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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