Hippocampal Plasticity Induced by Patterned Stimulation

本提案所述工作的目标是 确定压力如何负面影响学习和记忆。 众所周知，大脑中有一种叫做海马体的结构， 这是许多学习形式所必需的。 此外该 海马体有大量的受体， 血液中存在与压力相关的激素。 是什么 这种应激激素的存在会影响机体的正常功能， 海马体？ 这个问题将使用 大鼠的电生理和行为技术。 在 特别是，工作将集中在确定的影响， 应激相关激素对激发爆发增强作用的影响， 连接强度的持久增加， 阈值电刺激诱导的海马体。 引发爆发增强可能代表一种机制， 通常由大脑用来制造记忆

The goal of the work described in this proposal is to determine how stress negatively influences learning and memory. It is known that a brain structure called the hippocampus is necessary for many forms of learning. In addition, the hippocampus has a high number of receptors which detect the presence of stress related hormones in the blood. What does the presence of such stress hormones do to the normal function of the hippocampus? This question will be answered using electrophysiological and behavioral techniques in rats. In particular, work will focus on determining the influence of stress related hormones on primed burst potentiation, a very long lasting increase in the strength of connections in the hippocampus which is induced by threshold electrical stimulation. Primed burst potentiation may represent a mechanism which is normally used by the brain to make memories.