Memory, action and the corpus striatum: current developments in the memory-habit distinction

The distinction between memory and habit has been of great historical importance in theories of animal learning. The reality of animal memory is now firmly established, but it is only recently becoming clear how memory systems can influence action. In explaining the interactions between memory systems and action systems it is no longer necessary to invoke the concept of habit, since the same mechanisms appear to apply to habitual action and to non-habitual action. A review of recent ablation studies shows that, both in visual reward-association memory and visual recognition memory, the visual association cortex controls action through a direct output to the corpus striatum.