Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Purpose: To investigate the exploratory response to novelty in rats that have recovered from experimental limbic epilepsy. Methods: Epilepsy was induced in 12 male rats by injecting a minute amount of tetanus toxin into the ventral hippocampus (and buffer vehicle was injected into 12 controls). Eight weeks after the injection, when the animals appeared behaviourally normal (and previous work would indicate that their electroencephalograms also would have returned to normal), they were tested on the playground maze. In this, their exploratory response to a novel object introduced in the context of seven familiar objects is measured. Simultaneously, their locomotion and investigation of familiar objects is measured. Results: Whereas the control animals showed a significant response to the novel object on both test days, in the toxin-injected rats the novelty response was not present. There was no difference between the groups on the locomotion measure, but the toxin rats explored the familiar as well as the novel objects less. Conclusions: The exploratory response to a novel object was abolished in the previously epileptic rats.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/j.1528-1157.1999.tb00819.x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Epilepsia

Publication Date

17/08/1999

Volume

40

Pages

1058 - 1061