Participation of the infralimbic cortex on the initial modulation of the reacquisition of odor discrimination task

Abstract

The mechanisms by which the infralimbic cortex (IL) participates in cognitive flexibility (cognitive flexibility) in odors discrimination task (ODT) remain poorly understood. Two experiments were carried out on male Wistar rats that were submitted to infusions of bilateral N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in IL post-training of ODT and they were compared to a Vehicle group. In experiment I, we evaluated the effect of the lesion in a four-trial session, where the spatial component was rotated according to clockwise. In experiment II, the effects of the lesion were assessed in a five-trial session, in which the spatial component was rotated randomly. The results show that the animals had a deterioration both both latenc and total errors during the first trials only in reacquisition (RAC); however, in perseverance, no deficit was seen. These data suggest that the IL might play a role in the modulation of the initial phase of the RAC in ODT, possibly by deafferentation of the role that IL has within the cortical-limbicstriated circuit, especially with the anterior cingulate cortex.