Role of the medial and lateral caudate-putamen in mediating an auditory conditional response association

Rats with quinolinic acid lesions of the medial or lateral caudate-putamen (CPu) and controls were tested for performance of a previously learned audi tory conditional response association task. The task involved the selection of two possible responses when presented with one of two different tones. Results indicated that lesions of either the medial or the lateral CPu prod uced a sustained deficit in the auditory conditional response association t ask. Only the lateral Cpu lesioned rats exhibited transient motor problems immediately following surgery but these problems did not interfere with the execution of the appropriate responses. It is suggested that both the medi al and the lateral CPu are involved in response selection and response sepa ration within egocentric space. (C) 2001 Academic Press.