Loss of auditory pattern discrimination following insular-temporal lesions in cats.

Abstract

3 ADULT CATS, TRAINED IN AN ACTIVE AVOIDANCE SITUATION, WERE UNABLE TO RELEARN AN AUDITORY PATTERN DISCRIMINATION FOLLOWING LESIONS OF THE INSULAR TEMPORAL (IT) AREA. 2 SS WITH IT LESIONS ALSO TENDED TO BE DEFICIENT IN LEARNING A DIFFICULT FREQUENCY-DISCRIMINATION PROBLEM, BUT HAD NO DIFFICULTY IN LEARNING TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN A HISS AND A SERIES OF CLICKS. THESE FINDINGS TOGETHER WITH DEWSON'S FINDING OF A DEFICIT IN THE DISCRIMINATION OF SPEECH SOUNDS BY CATS WITH IT LESIONS, SUGGEST THAT TASK DIFFICULTY IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT IN SPARING OR LOSS OF AUDITORY DISCRIMINATIONS FOLLOWING IT LESIONS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)