Spatial learning

空间学习

• 批准号: 7460-2007
• 负责人: Martin, Gerard
• 金额: $ 1.27万
• 依托单位: Memorial University of Newfoundland
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2007-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=361807
• 关键词: Spatial; learning

Damage to the hippocampus prevents the formation of new long term memories in humans and prevents the encoding of spatial maps in rats.  A compromised hippocampus also occurs in patients with Alzheimer's disease.  Failure to store information may occur because the person lacks the capacity to create a good spatial-temporal map for new events.My research analyzes the fundamental processes that are involved in the formation of spatial maps.  This work is being carried out in rats.  I examine the formation of maps in appetitive situations where the rats are searching out the location of food.  I also examine the formation of maps in aversive situations where rats are searching for the location of a hidden platform that allows them to escape from water.  The current work examines the factors that contribute to rats knowing where they are in their environment based upon their capacity to path integrate.  Path integration is an extremely important computational process that allows an organism to keep track of its position relative to the starting point of its trip by using information about its own movement.  Path integration is also important because it is believed to underlie the formation of spatial maps.  My research also examines how path integration interacts with memory processes and how traveling through an environment enables a rat to become oriented.  My approach contributes to our understanding of a fundamental cognitive process and to the development of a unified theory of spatial learning and memory.  Understanding the processes that go into spatial learning and memory enables us to provide better models of cognitive dysfunction and, ultimately, to ameliorate those dysfunctions in humans.  This benefits Canadians because drug treatments that are devised to help people are only effective and safe if we understand the processes that these drugs influence.

海马的损害阻止了人类中新的长期记忆的形成，并防止了大鼠空间图的编码。在阿尔茨海默氏病的患者中，海马也受到损害。可能无法存储信息，因为该人缺乏为新事件创建良好的时空地图的能力。我的研究分析了与空间图形成有关的基本过程。这项工作是在老鼠中进行的。我检查了大鼠正在寻找食物位置的食欲中的地图的形成。我还检查了在厌恶情况下地图的形成，在这种情况下，大鼠正在寻找隐藏平台的位置，以使他们可以从水中逃脱。当前的工作研究了导致大鼠根据路径集成能力在环境中的位置的因素。路径集成是一个极为重要的计算过程，它可以通过使用有关其自身运动的信息来跟踪其相对于行程起点的位置。路径积分也很重要，因为它被认为是空间图的形成的基础。我的研究还研究了路径集成如何与内存过程相互作用以及如何通过环境旅行使老鼠成为方向。我的方法有助于我们对基本认知过程的理解以及统一的空间学习和记忆理论的发展。了解空间学习和记忆的过程使我们能够提供更好的认知功能障碍模型，并最终改善人类中这些功能障碍。这种有益于加拿大人，因为为帮助人们而设计的药物治疗只有在我们了解这些药物影响的过程中，只有有效和安全。