Research reportCharacterisation of spatial neglect induced by unilateral 6-OHDA lesions on a choice reaction time task in rats

Unilateral dopamine depletion and excitotoxic lesions of the striatum have been shown to induce a contralateral neglect when rats have to respond in a choice reaction time setting. Whereas, in a lateralised setting when response options are to either side of the animal's head all contralateral responding is impaired, testing animals only on one side of the head per day but with a near and far response option, rats are able to correctly respond to contralateral stimuli, but rather bias their responses towards the near hole. Here, we further investigated the nature of the contralateral neglect in egocentric space coding in more detail. Firstly, we tested the effects of near-complete unilateral dopamine depletion on this type of task. Secondly, previous observations suggested that lesioned rats shifted their response strategy which resulted in a response bias towards the most proximal location in contralateral space. In order to “encourage” dopamine depleted rats to respond to the neglected response location we implemented an error correction procedure to the task. Near-complete unilateral dopamine depletion, via 6-hydroxydopamine infusions into the medial forebrain bundle of female Lister Hood rats, resulted in a reduction of usable trials, a near hole bias when animals were tested on the side contralateral to the lesion, as well as increased reaction and movement time latencies. The introduction of an error-correction procedure had no effect on the animals' response bias towards the near contralateral location. Probe trials showed that the bias is most likely the result of responses being misdirected when in a choice situation. The findings further highlight the role of dopamine and an intact striatum to code responses into egocentrically defined space.

► Spatial contralateral neglect is not alleviated by reducing task demand. ► Neglect stable even when animals are “encouraged” to respond to neglected location. ► Neglect is pronounced in a choice, but not simple reaction time task setting.