Rats (Rattus norvegicus) flexibly retrieve objects' non-spatial and spatial information from their visuospatial working memory: effects of integrated and separate processing of these features in a missing-object recognition task.

摘要: After being trained to find a previous missing object within an array of four different objects, rats received occasional probe trials with such test arrays rotated from that their respective three-object study arrays. Only animals exposed each object’s non-spatial features consistently paired both its spatial (feeder’s relative orientation and direction) in the first experiment or only feeder’s second (Fixed Configuration groups) were adversely affected by trial rotations. This effect, however, was less persistent for this group but re-emerged when objects’ later rendered uninformative. Animals had types randomly over not between trial’s (Varied on improved missing-object recognition experiment. These findings suggest Fixed groups integrated (in Experiment 1) one 2) construct single representation they could easily compare any array. The Varied must maintain separate representations solve task. prevented them exhibiting adverse effects enhanced rats’ We discussed how flexible use (retrieval) encoded information visuospatial working memory corresponds humans’ change detection complex tasks. also foraging-specific factors may have influenced group’s performance