Enhanced cue function of olfactory stimulation in mice with septal lesions.

Trained a total of 121 male hybrid normal mice and mice with septal lesions on a go-no-go discrimination task (multiple fixed interval of 15 sec, 15-sec extinction schedule) in 4 experiments. When the discrimination stimulus (the one which indicated to the S whether responding at the end of the interval would be reinforced) was a pellet of food (delivered at the start of the interval) or odor of food or non-nutritive substance (present throughout the 15-sec interval), acquisition of septum-damaged mice was enhanced. These lesions did not, however, alter performance when the discrimination was cued by a buzzer or flashing light. Results suggest that septal lesions produce an increased reactivity to olfactory stimuli and to stimuli associated with the delivery of food reinforcement. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)