The amygdala & cortical receptive field plasticity

杏仁核

• 批准号: 6651943
• 负责人: NORMAN M WEINBERGER
• 金额: $ 33.8万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-09-01 至 2007-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6651943
• 关键词: amygdala; auditory cortex; behavior test; caudate nucleus; cerebral cortex; conditioning; entorhinal cortex; experimental brain lesion; gamma aminobutyrate; hippocampus; laboratory rat; learning; memory; neurotransmitter agonist; neurotransmitter antagonist; sensory cortex

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this research project is to determine the involvement of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in modulating the strength of physiological memory in the cerebral cortex, as indexed by learning-induced receptive field (RF) plasticity in the primary auditory cortex (ACx). The proposed experiments will investigate the role of the BLA in the induction and consolidation of RF plasticity. Moreover, the research will examine the involvement of the cholinergic nucleus basalis (NB) in mediating the BLA effects on cortical plasticity. It is well established that learning produces highly systematic changes in acoustic frequency receptive fields in the primary auditory cortex. Tuning is altered to increase response to and representation of behaviorally important stimuli (e.g., CS in classical conditioning) while reducing responses to other frequencies. RF plasticity has major characteristics of memory: it is associative, highly specific, rapidly induced, long-lasting (months) and exhibits consolidation, that is, increases in strength over hours and days. A central issue addressed by the proposed studies is whether the BLA modulates learning-induced cortical RF plasticity. There is extensive evidence that the BLA modulates the consolidation of memory for various kinds of training and that the modulation involves BLA influences on other brain regions including the caudate nucleus, hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. In view of the extensive evidence that the BLA modulates memory processes in other brain regions, including cortical regions, the proposed experiments will examine the role of the BLA in modulating the induction and consolidation of RF plasticity in the auditory cortex and determine whether the modulatory influences are mediated by activation of the NB. The findings will provide significant new information concerning the pathways and systems mediating the regulating influence of the BLA on memory consolidation and, thus, increase understanding of brain systems modulating the formation of memory for significant experiences.

描述（由申请人提供）：该研究项目的目标是确定基底外侧杏仁核（BLA）在调节大脑皮层生理记忆强度中的作用，以学习诱导的感受野（RF）可塑性为索引。初级听觉皮层（ACx）。拟议的实验将研究 BLA 在射频可塑性的诱导和巩固中的作用。此外，该研究还将探讨胆碱能基底核 (NB) 在介导 BLA 对皮质可塑性的影响中的作用。众所周知，学习会对初级听觉皮层的声频感受域产生高度系统的变化。改变调谐以增加对行为重要刺激（例如，经典条件反射中的 CS）的响应和表现，同时减少对其他频率的响应。 RF可塑性具有记忆的主要特征：它是联想性的、高度特异性的、快速诱导的、持久的（数月）并且表现出巩固性，即强度在数小时和数天内增加。拟议研究解决的一个核心问题是 BLA 是否调节学习引起的皮质射频可塑性。有大量证据表明，BLA 调节各种训练的记忆巩固，并且这种调节涉及 BLA 对其他大脑区域的影响，包括尾状核、海马体和内嗅皮层。鉴于大量证据表明 BLA 调节其他大脑区域（包括皮质区域）的记忆过程，拟议的实验将检查 BLA 在调节听觉皮层 RF 可塑性的诱导和巩固中的作用，并确定调节是否影响由 NB 的激活介导。这些发现将提供有关介导 BLA 对记忆巩固的调节影响的途径和系统的重要新信息，从而增进对调节重要经历记忆形成的大脑系统的理解。