Altered Activity in the Hippocampus Is More Detrimental to Classical Conditioning Than Removing the Structure

Hippocampal ablation has no effect on the acquisition of the rabbit's classically conditioned nictitating membrane response. Systemic administration of scopolamine, which alters hippocampal neuronal activity, severely retards acquisition of the conditioned response in normal animals and those with cortical ablations. In animals with hippocampal ablations, however, scopolamine has no effect on conditioning. These findings suggest that altered neuronal activity in the hippocampus is more detrimental to conditioning than removing the structure.