Spatial memory disruption, effects

Pharmacological manipulation of DA, within mesostriatal, as well as mesofrontal domains, has profound effects on performance in spatial working memory tasks in both rodents and monkeys. Early work (reviewed by LeMoal and Simon, 1991) demonstrated that 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the meso-accumbens or meso-striatal, as well as the meso-cortical DA projections led to impaired delayed alternation performance in rats. However, there is a question of whether the capacity to hold on-line the location of the previous goal or choice response has been impaired or whether other behavioral capacities, such as the inhibition that is normally required for the spontaneous alternation of choices is disrupted, leading to perseverative responding. 

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