Data from: Validation of a rodent model of source memory

Source memory represents the origin (source) of information. Recently, we proposed that rats (Rattus norvegicus) remember the source of information. However, an alternative to source memory is the possibility that rats selectively encoded some, but not all, information rather than retrieving an episodic memory. We directly tested this "encoding-failure" hypothesis. Here, we show that rats remember the source of information, under conditions that cannot be attributed to encoding failure. Moreover, source memory lasted at least 7 days but was no longer present 14 days after studying. Our findings suggest that long-lasting source memory may be modeled in nonhumans. Our model should facilitate attempts to elucidate the biological underpinnings of source-memory impairments in human memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.源记忆（source memory）指代信息的起源与来源。此前我们曾提出，褐家鼠（Rattus norvegicus）能够记住信息的来源。然而，存在一种替代性假说：大鼠或许仅选择性编码了部分信息，而非提取情景记忆（episodic memory），这便是编码失败的可能情形。我们直接对该“编码失败假说”进行了验证。本研究结果显示，在无法归因于编码失败的实验条件下，大鼠确实能够记住信息的来源。此外，源记忆的留存时长至少可达7天，但在学习阶段结束14天后便不复存在。我们的研究发现表明，非人类动物可作为长时程源记忆的研究模型。该模型将有助于阐明阿尔茨海默病等人类记忆障碍中源记忆损伤的生物学基础。