Allocentric object-place and object-place-context recognition.

A) Exposure to isoflurane or desflurane led to impairment in identifying an object’s location when the site of entry into the context was changed. The varied entry points forced subjects to rely on allocentric cues to identify the object’s location. B) DI of control animals was significantly greater than that of anesthetized subjects. Neither desflurane nor isoflurane DI significantly exceeded zero. C) Isoflurane and desflurane-treated subjects were also impaired in recognition of an object that required association of its place and context. D) Again, control DI was greater than anesthetized DI. Neither subset of anesthetized subjects – desflurane or isoflurane – had DI greater than zero. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, n.s. = not significant.