Wistar rats show episodic-like memory for unique experiences
Abstract
Human episodic memory refers to the recollection of an unique past experience in terms of its details, its locale, and temporal occurrence. Episodic memory, even in principle, has been difficult to demonstrate in non-verbal mammals. Previously, we provided evidence that mice are able to form an integrated memory for "what," "where," and "when" aspects of single experiences by combining different versions of the novelty-preference paradigm, i.e., object recognition memory, the memory for locations in which objects were explored, and the temporal order memory for objects presented at distinct time points. In the present series of experiments we evaluated whether this paradigm, with minor modifications, also works with rats. We found that rats spent more time exploring an "old familiar" object relative to a "recent familiar" object, suggesting that they recognized objects previously explored during separate trials and remembered their order of presentation. Concurrently, the rats responded differentially to spatial object displacement dependent on whether an "old familiar" or "recent familiar" object was shifted to a location, where it was not encountered previously. These results provide strong evidence that the rats established an integrated memory for "what," "where," and "when." We also found that acute stress impaired the animal's performance in the episodic-like memory task, which, however, could be partially reversed by the N-Methyl-D-aspartate-receptors agonist D-cycloserine.
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The trial-unique learning paradigm has been successfully implemented in rodents and birds.
“The trial-unique learning paradigm has been successfully implemented in rodents (rats: Kart-Teke et al. 2006; mice: Dere et al. 2005) and birds (Zentall et al. 2001).”
From Keeping track of time: evidence for episodic-like memory in great apes (2010) · cites this paper as Kart-Teke et al. 2006
Rats were sensitive not only to the location of objects but also to the temporal order in which they were presented, leading authors to conclude that rats integrated what, where and when an event happened.
“The results from these experiments showed that rats were sensitive not only to the location of the objects, but also to the temporal order in which they were presented. These results led the authors to conclude that rats integrated what, where and when an event happened.”
From Keeping track of time: evidence for episodic-like memory in great apes (2010) · cites this paper as Kart-Teke et al. 2006
A direct way to measure episodic-like memory is to combine the three what, where and when object exploration tests into one integrated paradigm.
“A direct way to measure episodic-like memory is to combine the three “what”, “where” and “when” object exploration tests into one integrated paradigm (this test was first developed for rats (Kart-Teke et al., 2006) and then adapted for mice (Dere et al., 2005b).”
From The medial prefrontal cortex - hippocampus circuit that integrates information of object, place and time to construct episodic memory in rodents: Behavioral, anatomical and neurochemical properties (2020) · cites this paper as Kart-Teke et al., 2006
In the ELM2-2 test, adult rats exhibit exploration preferences RD > RS, OS > RS, and OS > OD.
“In this test, adult rats exhibit a pattern of exploration preferences, where RD > RS (where), OS > RS (when) and OS > OD.”
From The medial prefrontal cortex - hippocampus circuit that integrates information of object, place and time to construct episodic memory in rodents: Behavioral, anatomical and neurochemical properties (2020) · cites this paper as Kart-Teke et al., 2006
The original study using the ELM2-2 paradigm reported that episodic-like memory was preserved for at least 1 hour.
“The original study using the ELM2–2 paradigm reported that the episodic-like memory was preserved for at least 1 hour (Kart-Teke et al., 2006).”
From The medial prefrontal cortex - hippocampus circuit that integrates information of object, place and time to construct episodic memory in rodents: Behavioral, anatomical and neurochemical properties (2020) · cites this paper as Kart-Teke et al., 2006
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References 56 · Cited by 250
- Authors
- KARTTEKE, E., DESOUZASILVA, M., HUSTON, J., & DERE, E.
- Affiliations
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
- Corresponding author
- HUSTON, J
- ORCID
- DERE, E
- Venue
- Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-03
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 173-182
- ISSN
- 1074-7427 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2039736626
- Cited by
- 250
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 5.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- episodic-like memory, rats, novelty preference, object recognition memory, spatial memory, temporal order memory, object displacement, acute stress, D-cycloserine, NMDA receptor
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Association Learning, Attention, Awareness, Brain, Concept Formation, Discrimination Learning, Exploratory Behavior, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuronal Plasticity, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Mental Recall, Serial Learning, Time Perception, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate, Rats, Wistar, Rats
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