Spontaneous recovery of human spatial memory in a virtual water maze

The occurrence of spontaneous recovery in human spatial memory was assessed using a virtual environment. In Experiment 1, spatial memory was established by training participants to locate a hidden platform in a virtual water maze using a set of four distal landmarks. In Experiment 2, after learning about the location of a hidden platform, the platform was placed in a new position within the virtual water maze in order to extinguish the original learning. An immediate test showed that participants searched for the platform at its most recent location. In contrast, on a delayed test (24 h), participants tended to seek the platform at the original location. These findings are consistent with the spontaneous recovery effect on spatial memory and are discussed in relation to the cognitive map theory and associative approach of spatial memory.