TRIMETHYLTIN, A SELECTIVE LIMBIC SYSTEM NEUROTOXICANT, IMPAIRS RADIAL-ARM MAZE PERFORMANCE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 4  (2) , 177-183
Abstract
Rats were trained for 15 sessions in an automated 8 arm radial maze prior to treatment with 6 mg/kg trimethyltin chloride. This compound was a neurotoxicant which primarily damaged the limbic system, in particular pyramidal cells in the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Following treatment, the animals exhibited a marked and persistent impairment of maze performance characterized by decreased selection accuracy and an altered spatial pattern of responding within the maze. These results offered additional evidence that CA3 pyramidal neurons or their connections played an important, if not essential, role in radial-arm maze performance. Trimethyltin might be a useful tool for elucidating the neural substrates of radial maze performance and learning and memory processes.