Cardiac versus somatomotor conditioned responses in neodecorticate rats.

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Abstract
Failure of neodecorticate rats to learn motor CRs raised the question whether cortex is essential for CS-US association. To test the hypothesis that sensory but not complex motor learning might occur without neocortex, normal and neodecorticated rats were trained in a Pavlovian situation pairing light with electric shock. Tachographic recordings of heart rate were made and overt motor responses observed. Cardiac conditioning was established in normals and neodecorticates. The cardiac CR showed either acceleration or deceleration; electric shock always produced tachycardia. Bradycardic CRs were significantly higher for neodecorticates. In normals, cardiac and motor responses ran parallel; in neodecorticates cardiac scores were significantly higher. It is concluded that neocortex plays a critical role in somatomotor learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)