Robert J. Kirkby

Caudate nucleus lesions and perseverative behavior

Abstract Rats with bilateral lesions of the caudate nucleus acquired a brightness discrimination as rapidly as unoperated and cortically lesioned controls. When the problem was reversed and the rats were trained to avoid the stimulus rewarded in the initial problem the caudectomized subjects made significantly more errors than the controls. It was suggested that the reversal impairments were not the result of changes in motivation or general learning ability, but were due to the inability of the caudate lesioned rats to “give up” or inhibit the initially trained response. A consideration of the literature indicated that perseverative behavior could be a phylogenetically common sequel of caudate injury.

Active avoidance in the laboratory rat following lesions of the dorsal or ventral caudate nucleus

Active avoidance learning in rats with lesions of the ventral or dorsal caudate nucleus was investigated in both one-way and two-way avoidance situations. Performance was measured under various levels of shock and conditions of food deprivation. Winocur and Mills (1969) hypothesized that the learning of active avoidance problems was disrupted by lesions of the ventral aspect of the caudate nucleus but not by dorsal lesions. In the present study, rats with lesions of the ventral caudate were not more deficient than rats with lesions of the dorsal caudate in learning to avoid. Under some conditions, dorsal lesion rats were significantly more impaired than ventral lesion rats. These findings, taken with other recent reports, suggest that the Winocur and Mills hypothesis should be rejected.

CAUDATE NUCLEUS LESIONS IMPAIR THE ABILITY OF RATS TO LEARN A SIMPLE STRAIGHT-ALLEY TASK

Learning to run down a straight alley for a food reward was investigated in rats with lesions of the telencephalon. Over 84 trials the running latencies of rats with lesions of the caudate nucleus were significantly greater than those of subjects with lesions of the frontal cortex or sham-lesioned rats. The running latencies of the cortical- and the sham-lesioned groups were not significantly different. It was suggested that the performance of the caudotomized rats reflected a learning deficit.

Is the striatum involved in passive-avoidance behavior? A commentary

The role of the striatum in passive avoidance (PA) behavior has been reviewed in light of recent data by Olmstead and Villablanca (1980) reporting a lack of involvement of the caudate nucleus in this behavior. Evaluation of their data revealed that a small deficit in PA was demonstrated in the caudotomized adult cat group. Similarly, our own data with kainic-acid-induced striatal lesions in rats resulted in impairments in passive-avoidance acquisition and retention. It is concluded that the striatum is involved in PA behavior, although the underlying behavioral processes that contribute to this role are not clearly understood.

Psychology Manpower in Health Delivery in Victoria

Abstract In 1977 the Victorian government established a committee to enquire into health manpower in Victoria and requested submissions from relevant bodies. The Council of the A.P.S. asked the Working Party on the Role of Psychologists in Health Care to prepare a submission in regard to psychology manpower in health in Victoria. The working partys submission was accepted by the second meeting of the 12th Council and forwarded to the Victorian enquiry. The submission indicated that psychology manpower was substantially below the levels necessary to ensure a high standard of health care in Victoria. Furthermore, an analysis of current training programs suggested that in relation to other professions Psychology manpower in health care will continue to fall behind. The submission recommended several strategies to change this situation. These included, increasing enrolments into the health-oriented psychology courses already offered in the Victorian Universities and Colleges of Advanced Education, and the in...

Dominance behavior in the rat following lesions of the caudate nuclei

Rats with bilateral lesions of the anterior caudate nucleus or the dorsolateral frontal cortex were tested against sham-operated rats in a straight-alley dominance situation. In 91% of encounters the caudate lesion rats forced the sham-operated animals to retreat. The frontal lesion rats won only 56% of their encounters, a proportion no different to that expected by chance. The performance of the caudate-damaged rats could not be explained satisfactorily in terms of increased motivation, changes in activity, motor impairments, or perseverative tendencies. It seemed more likely that the apparent increase in dominance was associated with changes in the level of aggression.

Behaviour of marsupials. IV: Successive reversal learning in the brushtail possum(Trichosurus Vulpecula)

Successive discrimination reversal learning was investigated in eight brushtail possums. The subjects were trained on position or brightness problems using a non-correction procedure. All four possums in the position group completed 19 reversals, three subjects demonstrating one-trial learning on several occasions. Acquisition of the brightness problem appeared more difficult; no possum achieved even the first reversal. Reversal indices and learning set scores for the position group of possums appeared comparable with, if not superior to, those reported in earlier studies for some rodents, carnivores, and primates. These findings were not consistent with the view of marsupials as “primitive” mammals.

Effects of lesions of the caudate nucleus or frontal neocortex on drug-induced seizures in the rat

Pentamethylentetrazol-induced seizures were investigated in laboratory rats with bilateral lesions involving the anterodorsal caudate nuclei or the anterior neocortices. In comparison to control subjects, the caudotomized rats were significantly more affected by the seizure-producing effects of the drug. This was reflected in longer episodes of generalized seizures and higher incidences of myoclonus status epilepticus and postseizure mortality. The subjects with ablations of anterior cortical areas showed significantly longer latencies to myoclonus and generalized seizures. The findings supported earlier studies suggesting a specific role for the caudate nucleus in seizure behavior.

Learning and problem — solving behaviour in marsupials

Marsupials have been studied extensively by biologists (see, for example, Waring, Moir and Tyndale-Biscoe, 1966), offering unique characteristics as research subjects (Burns, 1956; Block, 1960; Martin, 1965; Mizell, 1968; Twyner and Allison, 1970). Despite equivalent advantages for behavioural research (Wiedorn, 1954; Herring et al., 1966; Kirkby, 1969a) and an obvious potential for study, behavioural scientists have made little use of marsupials as research subjects. This has been particularly obvious in Australia (O’Neil, 1966), the country best provided with subject material for research into marsupial behaviour. It seems inappropriate that most experimental studies of marsupial behaviour have taken place in North America, the home of only one marsupial, Didelphis virginiana (Kirkby, 1969a). Of the relatively little work published on the psychological processes of marsupials, most is concerned with learning and problem-solving. This contribution reviews 19 research papers in the field of marsupial behaviour, grouping them according to the study techniques used.

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY IN A RURAL VICTORIAN TOWN

One hundred subjects (50 males and 50 females) were randomly selected from five different socioeconomic groups within a rural Victorian town. The subjects were asked to indicate from which of four therapy groups they would seek treatment for three specified medical conditions. The subjects indicated a significant preference to seek treatment from a physiotherapist rather than a chiropractor, an osteopath, or a faithhealer for all three conditions. The survey also asked questions about the activities of physiotherapists. In listing these activities many respondents appear to confuse the role of the physiotherapist with those of other health professionals such as nurses, occupational therapists, speech therapists, radiographers and psychologists. Of the sample 47% responded that they had sought treatment from a physiotherapist. It was found that these subjects had a significantly better knowledge of physiotherapy activities than those subjects who indicated no professional contact.