Goodrich-Hunsaker et al. (2009)

Question 1

Abstract?

Answer 1

• Tested 5 amnesic participants with selective hippocampal damage using a virtual water maze called the arena maze
• Results confirm that the hippocampus plays a necessary role in human navigation

Question 2

Introduction?

Answer 2

predicted amnesic participants would be impaired in navigating in the place condition, but would retain the ability to navigate in the visible platform condition

Question 3

Methods?

Answer 3

• used 5 amnesic p’s and a control group
• the arena maze task consisted of four types of trials
• the Landmark Maze tested the ability to associate a hidden target location with a single landmark object
• after completing the visible platform trials, participants were informed that the target platform would now be invisible and were asked to go to that platform as quickly and directly as possible

Question 4

Results?

Answer 4

• found that the amnesic participants were able to navigate to a visible platform in the arena as quickly and directly as the control group
• but they were impaired in their ability to locate the platform when it was invisible and took more time and longer paths to reach it when there was no nearby landmark available
• amnesic participants were impaired to a lesser extent in the landmark condition than in the place condition

Question 5

Discussion?

Answer 5

amnesic participants with hippocampal damage had significant spatial memory deficits in a virtual water maze, displaying difficulty remembering new spatial locations