Learning Within the Spinal Cord: Clinical Implications

脊髓内的学习：临床意义

• 批准号: 6621602
• 负责人: James William Grau
• 金额: $ 38.19万
• 依托单位: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-12-01 至 2006-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6621602
• 关键词: behavior test; behavioral /social science research tag; conditioning; fos protein; functional ability; immunocytochemistry; laboratory rat; learning; neural plasticity; neurochemistry; spinal cord; spinal cord injury

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Traditionally, the spinal cord has been viewed as a conduit between the brain and the periphery, organizing some simple reflexes but otherwise contributing little to learning and behavior. However, recent studies suggest that a great deal of information processing occurs within the spinal cord, and that this system not only tunes the afferent and efferent input/output at the brain's bidding but also adapts on its own to new environmental relations. Learning within the spinai cord can be studied using rats that have had the spinal cord cut at the second thoracic vertebra. A response-outcome contingency is established by applying shock to one hindleg whenever the leg falls below a preset criterion. Spinal neurons appear sensitive to this instrumental contingency, for subjects quickly learn to maintain their leg in a flexed position, effectively minimizing exposure to shock. This instrumental learning is facilitated by prior exposure to contingent shock and disrupted by noncontingent shock. It appears contingent training enables behavioral potential while noxious noncontingent stimuli undermine behavioral potential. The proposed experiments focus on the mechanisms that foster and preserve behavioral plasticity within the spinal cord and the implications of this work for the recovery of function after spinal cord injury. Studies proposed will examine the retention of the facilitory effect, the impact of Pavlovian contingencies, and whether clinically relevant stimuli (nerve injury, inflammation) affect behavioral potential. It is suggested that some neurochemical systems (noradrenergic, and/or serotonergic) may help preserve behavioral potential. Experiments will examine whether engaging these systems protects the spinal cord from the deleterious effects of noncontingent noxious stimuli. Finally, studies will explore the underlying mechanisms using immunocytochemical techniques (c-fos) and whether the experimental manipulations affect the recovery of locomotor behavior after a contusion injury. It is hoped that discovering the mechanisms that promote and protect behavioral plasticity within the spinal cord will lead to new behavioral and pharmacological treatments that foster recovery of function after spinal cord injury.

描述（申请人提供）：传统上，脊髓是 被视为大脑和外围之间的导管，组织了一些简单的 反射，但没有什么贡献的对学习和行为的贡献。然而， 最近的研究表明，发生大量信息处理 在脊髓内，该系统不仅会调整传入和 大脑招标的传出输入/输出，但也可以自行适应新的 环境关系。 可以使用具有 脊髓在第二个胸椎切割。响应结果的偶然性 每当腿落在 预设标准。脊柱神经元似乎对此工具敏感 意外情况，对于受试者，很快就会学会在弯曲中保持腿部 位置，有效地最大程度地减少暴露于冲击。这种乐器学习 事先暴露于应有的冲击并被破坏而受到促进 非偶然冲击。似乎有一致的训练可以行为 潜在的，而有害的非传染性刺激会破坏行为潜力。 提出的实验集中于促进和保存的机制 脊髓内的行为可塑性及其作品的含义 用于脊髓损伤后功能的恢复。研究提出的意愿 检查保留功能，帕夫洛夫的影响 突发事件以及是否临床相关刺激（神经损伤， 炎症）影响行为潜力。建议有些 神经化学系统（甲肾上腺素能和/或血清素能）可能有助于保存 行为潜力。实验将检查是否参与这些系统 保护脊髓免受非偶然性有害影响的有害影响 刺激。最后，研究将探索使用的基本机制 免疫细胞化学技术（C-FOS）以及实验是否是否 操纵会影响挫伤后的运动行为的恢复 受伤。 希望发现促进和保护行为的机制 脊髓内的可塑性将导致新的行为和 促进脊髓后功能恢复的药理治疗 受伤。