Tait DS, McGaughy JA, Latimer MP, Brown VJ (2002) 192-IgG-saporin lesions of the cholinergic basal forebrain do not impair attentional set-shifting, but do increase latency to dig. Neuroscience 2002 Abstracts 286.2. Society for Neuroscience, Orlando, FL.
Summary: The cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain which project to cortex, the thalamic reticular nucleus and the amygdala, have been implicated in vigilance and attention (Sarter and Bruno, 2000). This study examined the effects of basal forebrain cholinergic depletion on a shifting of attentional set. Male Lister hooded rats were stereotaxically injected with 192-IgG-saporin into basal forebrain to effect cholinergic depletion. Doses of 0.20mg or 0.25mg resulted in a loss of cholinergic cells in the basal forebrain and depletion of cholinergic input to frontal cortex and the thalamic reticular nucleus. The test of attentional set shifting task for the rat (Birrell and Brown, 2000) measures acquisition, reversal learning and shifting of attention between stimulus dimensions. Trials to criterion and latency to dig were recorded. There was no evidence of impairment in acquisition, reversal learning or set-shifting performance in the rats with cholinergic depletion compared to controls. There was a significant effect on dig latency. This was apparent only when the lesioned rats first approached an incorrect (i.e. unbaited bowl): although no more likely to dig in the incorrect bowl, the lesioned rats took longer to then move to the correct bowl. No effects were seen on dig latency if the rat by chance approached the correct bowl first. We conclude that attentional set-shifting is spared following basal forebrain lesions. Changes in latency in the task might be account for by deficits in sustained attention (attention to task) or related to frustration.
Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)