False associative memory in a rat model of schizophrenia: as an initial study in 'delusion' in animals

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26590180
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Kawabe Kouichi 大阪市立大学, 大学院文学研究科, 准教授 (30336797)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 虚連合記憶 / 妄想 / 統合失調症 / 動物モデル / ラット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, based on the hypothesis that false associative memory (FAM) is a cognitive basis of delusion in schizophrenia, it was examined whether rats treated with an NMDA receptor antagonist, an animal model of schizophrenia, had such a kind of memory. To begin with, behavioral tests to select the odor stimuli used in the following FAM test were conducted. Following this, it was examined whether an NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 produced FAM. In the FAM test, the procedure of the spontaneous object recognition test was applied for the compound stimuli consisted of the odor and the object stimuli. Although it was assumed that FAM was less exploration of the compound stimulus that was unfamiliar for rats, MK-801 treatment did not produce such a phenomenon.

Free Research Field

生理心理学