Associative learning and sensory neuroplasticity: how does it happen and what is it good for?
Associative learning and sensory neuroplasticity: how does it happen and what is it good for?
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DOI：
10.1101/lm.039636.115
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发表时间：
2015-11
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
McGann JP
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文献类型：
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作者：
McGann JP
从历史上看，身体的感觉系统被认为是为大脑提供有关外部环境的原始信息，大脑必须解释这些信息以选择行为反应。因此，学习和记忆的神经生物学研究集中在感觉输入和行为输出之间的接口电路，如杏仁核和小脑。然而，越来越多的证据表明，某些形式的学习实际上可以在感觉系统中很早就驱动刺激特异性变化，不仅包括初级感觉皮层，还包括皮层前结构，甚至外周感觉器官本身。这篇综述综合了各种感觉方式的证据，以报告新出现的主题，包括系统的灵活性，以强调感觉刺激的不同方面，这取决于其预测功能和不同形式的学习在感觉结构中产生类似可塑性的能力。这种学习引起的神经可塑性的潜在功能进行了讨论，在不断变化的环境中所面临的挑战，由感官系统，并认为在感官能力的绝对变化的证据。我们还强调，这种可塑性可能服务于重要的非感觉功能，包括平衡代谢负荷，调节注意力集中，促进下游神经可塑性。
Historically, the body's sensory systems have been presumed to provide the brain with raw information about the external environment, which the brain must interpret to select a behavioral response. Consequently, studies of the neurobiology of learning and memory have focused on circuitry that interfaces between sensory inputs and behavioral outputs, such as the amygdala and cerebellum. However, evidence is accumulating that some forms of learning can in fact drive stimulus-specific changes very early in sensory systems, including not only primary sensory cortices but also precortical structures and even the peripheral sensory organs themselves. This review synthesizes evidence across sensory modalities to report emerging themes, including the systems’ flexibility to emphasize different aspects of a sensory stimulus depending on its predictive features and ability of different forms of learning to produce similar plasticity in sensory structures. Potential functions of this learning-induced neuroplasticity are discussed in relation to the challenges faced by sensory systems in changing environments, and evidence for absolute changes in sensory ability is considered. We also emphasize that this plasticity may serve important nonsensory functions, including balancing metabolic load, regulating attentional focus, and facilitating downstream neuroplasticity.