Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The parafascicular nucleus and two-way active avoidance: effects of electrical stimulation and electrode implantation

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract 

To evaluate whether electrical stimulation of the parafascicular nucleus (PF) can improve short-term (24 h) and/or long-term (21 days) retention of two-way active avoidance, rats were implanted with an electrode at this nucleus (experimental groups) or above it (control groups). After a single 30-trial acquisition session, experimental groups were submitted to a 10-min session of electrical stimulation. Results showed that the simple implantation of an electrode at the posterior PF enhanced by itself the acquisition of two-way active avoidance, in such a way that the subsequent stimulation of this region may have been unable to further improve the performance of the rats. On the other hand, parafascicular stimulation improved the 24-h retention of the task in a site-specific way, since this effect was mainly seen after stimulation of the central PF region. The facilitative effect on 24-h retention could also depend on the level of performance achieved during the acquisition session, because this improvement was only evidenced in poorly learning animals. No effects were found on 21-day retention. The present results confirm the involvement of the PF in learning and memory and the functional heterogeneity of this nucleus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 4 August 1998 / Accepted: 7 July 1999

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guillazo-Blanch, G., Vale-Martínez, A., Martí-Nicolovius, M. et al. The parafascicular nucleus and two-way active avoidance: effects of electrical stimulation and electrode implantation. Exp Brain Res 129, 605–614 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002210050930

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002210050930

Navigation