Spatial Memory Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Three experiments examined interactions between posture control in upright stance and a concurrent location memory task. Healthy young participants stood upright and memorized the locations of dots presented on a computer screen. In the... more

Three experiments examined interactions between posture control in upright stance and a concurrent location memory task. Healthy young participants stood upright and memorized the locations of dots presented on a computer screen. In the retrieval phase, they indicated whether arrows presented on the screen would pass through any of the memorized locations. Postural sway variability was measured either during the retention period or during retrieval. Relative to not performing the memory task, pos- tural sway variability increased in the retention period when the eyes were closed, but remained unaVected when the eyes were open. During retrieval, postural sway vari- ability was reduced relative to the no-memory-task condi- tion. Results were interpreted in terms of dual-task costs associated with maintaining multiple frames of reference.

Abstract. People sometimes appear to represent graphical information by analogy to space. In this paper we consider the extent to which the tendency to represent information by analogy to space calls on spatial resources. We also examine... more

Abstract. People sometimes appear to represent graphical information by analogy to space. In this paper we consider the extent to which the tendency to represent information by analogy to space calls on spatial resources. We also examine whether people who represent ...

Background: The abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids is associated with changes in learning and memory function. Objectives: Nandrolone is one of the most popular anabolic androgenic steroid compounds abused by adolescents. Previous... more

Background: The abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids is associated with changes in learning and
memory function.
Objectives: Nandrolone is one of the most popular anabolic androgenic steroid compounds
abused by adolescents. Previous studies suggested that nandrolone changes learning and
memory; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Therefore, the present study evaluated
the role of P450 aromatase and castration on spatial learning and memory changes induced by
nandrolone in adolescent male rats.
Materials and Methods: This study used the Morris water maze to evaluate spatial learning
and memory. The experimental groups received DMSO as control groups and different
doses of nandrolone (10, 30 and 60 μg/ 2.5 μL), anastrozole (2.5, 5 and 10 μg/ 2.5μL), and
anastrozole (2.5 μg/ 2.5 μL) + nandrolone (60 μg/ 2.5 μl) all days before the training. The rats
of ninth and tenth groups were castrated and treated with 2.5 μL of DMSO and nandrolone
(60 μg), respectively for 4 days.
Results: Both nandrolone and anastrozole decrease in escape latency and traveled distance
(P<0.05). Furthermore, the escape latency and traveled distance in the group which received
anastrozole (2.5 μg) + nandrolone (60 μg) were significantly lower than that of the control group
(P<0.05). Additionally, castration had no effect on escape latency and traveled distance, but it
abolished the improvement effect of ND.
Conclusion: Nandrolone improved spatial learning and memory, but castration could abolish
nandrolone-induced spatial learning and memory improvement. These results indicate the effect
of nandrolone on learning induced by changes in gonadal function.

We present the case of F.G., a healthy, normally developed 22-year-old male subject affected by a pervasive disorder in environmental orientation and navigation who presents no history of neurological or psychiatric disease. A... more

We present the case of F.G., a healthy, normally developed 22-year-old male subject affected by a pervasive disorder in environmental orientation and navigation who presents no history of neurological or psychiatric disease. A neuro-radiological examination showed no evidence of anatomical or structural alterations to the brain. We submitted the subject for a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment of the different cognitive processes involved in topographical orientation to evaluate his ability to navigate the spatial environment. The results confirmed a severe developmental topographical disorder and deficits in a number of specific cognitive processes directly or indirectly involved in navigation.The results are discussed with reference to the sole previously described case of developmental topographical disorientation (Pt1; Iaria et al., 2009). F.G. differs from the former case due to the following: the greater severity of his disorder, his complete lack of navigational skills, the failure to develop compensatory strategies, and the presence of a specific deficit in processing the spatial relationships between the parts of a whole.The present case not only confirms the existence of developmental topographical-skill disorders, but also sheds light on the architecture of topographical processes and their development in human beings.

Sucrose is considered by many to be detrimental to health, giving rise to deterioration of the body associated with ageing. This study was undertaken to determine whether replacing sucrose in the diet long-term with honey that has a high... more

Sucrose is considered by many to be detrimental to health, giving rise to deterioration of the body associated with ageing. This study was undertaken to determine whether replacing sucrose in the diet long-term with honey that has a high antioxidant content could decrease deterioration in brain function during ageing. Forty-five 2-month old Sprague Dawley rats were fed ad libitum for 52 weeks on a powdered diet that was either sugar-free or contained 7.9% sucrose or 10% honey (which is the equivalent amount of sugar). Anxiety levels were assessed using an Elevated Plus Maze, whilst a Y maze and an Object Recognition task were used to assess memory. Locomotor activity was also measured using an Open Field task to ensure that differences in activity levels did not bias results in the other tasks. Anxiety generally decreased overall from 3 to 12 months, but the honey-fed rats showed significantly less anxiety at all stages of ageing compared with those fed sucrose. Honey-fed animals also displayed better spatial memory throughout the 12-month period: at 9 and 12 months a significantly greater proportion of honey-fed rats recognised the novel arm as the unvisited arm of the maze compared to rats on a sugar-free or sucrose-based diet. No significant differences among groups were observed in the Object Recognition task, and there appeared to be no differences in locomotor activity among groups at either 6 or 12 months. In conclusion, it appears that consumption of honey may reduce anxiety and improve spatial memory in middle age.

Individual differences are observed in processing and usage of spatial information in all areas of our lives. This study focuses on the relationship between spatial thinking style and spatial ability by holding gender constant. Gender,... more

Individual differences are observed in processing and usage of spatial information in all areas of our lives. This study focuses on the relationship between spatial thinking style and spatial ability by holding gender constant. Gender, frequently reported in the literature, was predicted not to be the only factor explaining individual differences but there are other factors such as spatial representation. The sample consisted of all women, 61 university students. Spatial thinking style was measured by self-report questionnaires and spatial ability by Mental Rotation (MR) test. To enable the use of different strategies, 3D stimuli were presented in whole and cut form, followed by the Spatial Representation Questionnaire and the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale. Participants were categorized according to the way they represented space in their minds (survey or landmark). The main finding of the MR literature, Angular Disparity Effect, was replicated; as the angular disparity between the stimuli pair increased, response time slowed down and the accuracy ratio decreased. Furthermore, the stimulus shape and spatial representation were found to influence MR performance. As the angular disparity increased, so did the complexity of the task, and participants, who formed survey representations rotated the figures than the ones with landmark representations. Same pattern was observed with stimulus shape; as angular disparity increased, whole figures were rotated faster. Supporting the previous findings, current study suggests that differences in spatial cognition and spatial skills cannot solely be explained by gender but other factors such as spatial thinking style play an important part.

This review addresses studies of spatial memory and learning in birds performed using the radial maze method. Descriptions of different versions of this test (standard and “giant” tunnel-type mazes, as well as unstructured “analogs”) are... more

This review addresses studies of spatial memory and learning in birds performed using the radial maze method. Descriptions of different versions of this test (standard and “giant” tunnel-type mazes, as well as unstructured “analogs”) are described and the methodological problems of testing birds are discussed. Behavioral measures from birds and laboratory rats, as the “standard” system for radial maze studies, are compared. The characteristics of spatial learning in birds of different systematic groups (pigeons, tits, corvids, chickens, etc.) are compared. Particular attention is paid to studies addressing spatial memory in closely related bird species with different ecological features, in terms of the ability to hoard food and finding their hoards after prolonged time periods, as well as to the few reports of results from experiments with migrant birds and homing pigeons.