Neuronal Mechanisms of Intelligence.
Abstract
The underlying premise of this research is that the neuron itself is the functional unit in the brain for positive reinforcement. Our early studies demonstrated for the first time that the firing rate of a brain cell could be increased by local applications of reinforcing transmitters of drugs. Our current work has two aims: 1) to examine the detailed anatomical and pharmacological properties of such cellular operant conditioning, and 2) to compare these properties with those of behavioral operant conditioning in order to determine important similarities and differences. We have studied cellular operant conditioning in whole-brain and brain-slice experiments. In whole brain, we have attempted to identify those cells most susceptible to reinforcement using electrical stimulation of rewarding brain sites as reinforcement. In brain slice experiments, we have found that 1) the reinforcing action of dopamine is likely mediated at D2 dopamine receptors, and 2) cellular operant conditioning is possible using locally applied electrical stimulation as reinforcement. At the behavioral level we have continued our pharmacological characterization of reinforcement receptors in self-stimulation of hippocampus and nucleus accumbers (primary sites of the brain slice experiments), and characterization of reinforcement receptors in place preference studies (an alternative method to self-stimulation for measuring reward). Keywords: Neuronal conditioning; Positive reinforcement; Learning; and Adaptive networks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 21, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA168614
Entities
People
- James D. Belluzzi
- Larry Stein
Organizations
- University of California, Irvine