Elsevier

Brain Research

Volume 20, Issue 1, 20 May 1970, Pages 59-73
Brain Research

Long-term memory of a tactile discrimination in Octopus vulgaris and the effect of vertical lobe removal

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(70)90154-XGet rights and content

Abstract

The retention of a rough/smooth tactile discrimination, by blind but otherwise normal Octopus vulgaris, was tested by re-training at intervals of 10–120 days and a retention curve which is negatively decelerating was found. The curve indicates that the level of performance falls by 25% in 8 days, 50% in 24 days, 75% in 53 days and 90% in 96 days. Retention at 50+ days is slightly improved in octopuses with the supraoesophageal brain lobes split into two equal halves and greatly improved by removal of the vertical lobe. At intervals of 55–120 days the amount retained is positively correlated with the percentage of vertical lobe removed. Four factors, (a) level of take, (b) pro-active interference, (c) retro-active interference and (d) storage interference, which may have caused the observed differences in retention are discussed.

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