Commins, Sean and Cunningham, Lorretto and Harvey, Deirdre and Walsh, Derek (2003) Massed but not spaced training impairs spatial memory. Behavioural Brain Research, 139 (1-2). pp. 2115-223. ISSN 0166-4328

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Abstract

The Morris water maze and the object displacement task are two popular tools used to investigate spatial learning and memory. Research has focused mainly on the acquisition of spatial tasks while little attention has been given to the retention phase. We examined the effects of different training procedures on retention of the water maze and also reactivity to spatial change in the object displacement task 7 days post-acquisition. We found that massed-trained animals were impaired on retention of the water maze compared to those animals that had received spaced-training. We also found that the massed-trained animals habituated readily to their environment in the object displacement task while the spaced-trained group did not. Furthermore the massed-trained group did not react to spatial change 7 days post-habituation compared to the increased reactivity displayed by the spaced-trained group. Results are discussed in terms of poor encoding of the environment leading to poor retention.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Spatial memory; Spaced; Massed; Morris Water maze; Object displacement;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	10706
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4328(02)00270-X
Depositing User:	Dr. Sean Commins
Date Deposited:	09 Apr 2019 15:39
Journal or Publication Title:	Behavioural Brain Research
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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