Chemical Senses Advance Access published online on May 28, 2009
Chemical Senses, doi:10.1093/chemse/bjp026
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The Role of the Human Hippocampus in Odor–Place Associative Memory
1 Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology, Brigham Young University, 574 John A. Widtsoe Building, Provo, UT 84602, USA 2 Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, 1001 Spenser W. Kimball Tower, Provo, UT 84602, USA 3 Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA 4 San Diego State University - University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92120, USA 5 Psychology Department, Brigham Young University, 1082 Spencer W. Kimball Tower, Provo, UT 84602, USA 6 Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, LDS Hospital, 8th Avenue and C Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84143, USA 7 Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA
Correspondence to be sent to: Naomi J. Goodrich-Hunsaker, Psychology Department, 1082 SWKT, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. e-mail: naomihunsaker{at}mac.com
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Abstract |
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Hippocampal lesions in rodents impair both object–place and odor–place associative memory. Subjects with hippocampal damage have impaired associative memory such as object–place memory. Whereas studies have investigated some types of associative memory, no investigation has specifically examined odor–place associative memory in subjects with well-defined amnesia. It is unknown whether amnesic subjects with hippocampal damage would be impaired on an odor–place associative task. We investigated the effect of hippocampal damage in amnesic subjects with hippocampal atrophy on odor–place associative memory and recognition memory tasks. Amnesic and healthy comparison subjects matched for age and education were tested on an odor–place associative task, an odor recognition task, and a place recognition task. The odor–place associative task required subjects to associate 6 odors with 6 spatial locations on a board. The recognition tasks required subjects to identify the 6 odors and the 6 locations that were presented during the associative task. Amnesic subjects were impaired for odor–place memory and place recognition, but not odor recognition compared with comparison subjects. These results suggest that the human hippocampus is necessary for odor–place associative memory and spatial recognition memory. These data provide support for the idea that odor–place associative memory is mediated by the hippocampus in both humans and rodents, suggesting an evolutionary continuity in cognitive function assigned to the hippocampus.
Key words: amnesia, associative memory, hippocampus, odor–place paired associate, recognition memory
Accepted 30 April 2009