EFFECT OF SEPTAL AND NEOCORTICAL DAMAGE ON COMPLEX MAZE LEARNING

Rats with septal lesions did not differ from unoperated controls in the acquisition of the 12 problems of the Hebb-Williams series. Neocortically damaged animals were significantly impaired in maze learning as evidenced by longer running times and more errors over trials. These results cast doubt on current hypotheses that septal lesions result in an enhanced thirst motivation or loss of motor inhibition. These findings also point out the need to study the septal animal using complex behavioral tasks. The deficits found in the neocortically operated animals point to marked differences which exist between cortical and septal functioning in maze learning and suggest, as has been suspected, that the neocortex plays the crucial role in complex problem solving. © 1969.