Cholinergic Receptor Substrates of Neuronal Plasticity and Learning
Abstract
This project is part of an ongoing experimental analysis of the neural mediation of learning and memory. The overall objective is to document the learning-relevant dynamic physiological changes in brain circuit activities that mediate discriminative avoidance learning in rabbits. Electrophysiological multichannel recording of neuronal activity during Teaming in the behaving animal is a principal methodology. Important information is also provided by selective lesion-induced disruptions of neuronal circuit activity and behavior. The specific thrust of this project was collaborative, combining behavioral neurophysiology and receptor biochemistry in order to document learning relevant changes in neurotransmitter receptor binding correlated with learning-relevant neuronal activity. In addition, hypotheses of a theoretical model of the task- relevant information flow and neural circuit/network interactions were evaluated. In each of four behaviorally defined stages of acquisition, a distinct topographic distribution pattern of training-induced cue-elicited neuronal excitation was documented by recording the training-related neuronal activity in five nuclei of the anterior thalamus and in the four layers of the posterior cingulate cortex. Topographic patterns of training-induced binding of M2 acetylcholine and GABAA receptors in the anterior thalamus correlated with the stage-related topographic patterns of thalamic activity. Effects of hippocampal and mammillothalamic tract lesions and the properties of the topographic patterns themselves fostered the hypothesis that the patterns are a product of hippocampal efferent flow to cingulate cortex and anterior thalamus which is essential for context specific mnemonic retrieval.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 29, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA246947
Entities
People
- Michael Gabriel
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign