When observer rats were exposed to a novel food odor on a demonstrator rat's breath and then had their hippocampus lesioned, what happened to the lesioned rats' preferences for the novel food?
A) Their preference was reduced the most if the lesion occurred 30 days after their being exposed to the odor.
B) Their preference was reduced the most if the lesion occurred one day after their being exposed to the odor.
C) Their preference was enhanced the most if the lesion occurred 30 days after their being exposed to the odor.
D) Their preference was enhanced the most if the lesion occurred one day after their being exposed to the odor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lesions in the hippocampus disrupt the memory processes, and since the hippocampus is crucial for forming new memories, a lesion one day after exposure would most significantly impair the rat's ability to remember and thus reduce its preference for the novel food. This is because the memory of the novel food would not have been consolidated fully, making it more susceptible to disruption.

When Observer Rats Were Exposed to a Novel Food Odor