Investigating the link between the rodent posterior parietal cortex and sociality

Wise, Taylor Blaine

Full Metadata

Overview

Year:: 2020
Contributor:: Wise, Taylor Blaine (creator); Burwell, Rebecca (Advisor); Templer, Victoria (Reader); Brown University. Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (sponsor)
Genre:: theses
Subject:: Social perception; Rodents; posterior parietal cortex
Extent:: , None p.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26300/vmq0-sm40

Files

Description

Abstract:: Recent literature points to a potential link between the evolution of complex social behavior and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in primates including humans (Parkinson & Wheatley, 2013). Thus far, this theory has been overlooked in other highly social animals that may have also evolved due to social selective pressures. We investigated the role of the PPC through two experiments that utilized that 3-Chamber Sociability and Social Novelty test in rats. In Experiment 1, subjects explored two novel demonstrators, a methodology common in prior literature. In Experiment 2, subjects explored a highly familiar cagemate and novel demonstrator, increasing novelty difference between social stimuli. Both experiments showed that all rats preferred general social interaction in Phase 1, suggesting no deficit in sociability following PPC damage regardless of demonstrator identity. Results from Phase 2 of Experiment 1 and 2 showed significant increase in social novelty preference for all rats when increasing demonstrator’s difference in familiarity. Within the confines of the 3-Chamber task, our results suggest that PPC function was not required for general sociability or social novelty recognition; however, by manipulating the identity of demonstrator rats, novelty preference was impacted. Future studies should investigate the role of the PPC in social cognition by employing behavioral tasks that require a higher cognitive demand and specifically address spatial and social mechanisms.
Notes:: Thesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2020

Content

Access Conditions

Rights: In Copyright
Restrictions on Use: Collection is open for research.

Citation

Wise, Taylor Blaine, "Investigating the link between the rodent posterior parietal cortex and sociality" (2020). Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences Theses and Dissertations. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://doi.org/10.26300/vmq0-sm40

Relations

Collection:

Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations for the Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences department.
...