LAUSR

The role of the hippocampus in goal-directed action is currently unclear; studies investigating this issue have produced contradictory results. Here we reconcile these contradictions by demonstrating that, in rats, goal-directed action relies on the dorsal hippocampus, but only transiently, immediately after initial acquisition. Furthermore, we found that goal-directed action also depends transiently on physical context, suggesting a psychological basis for the hippocampal regulation of goal-directed action control. This study shows that the dorsal hippocampus is necessary for goal-directed action, but only transiently, during initial learning. Convergently, goal-directed actions also depend transiently on the physical context.