HEBBIAN PLASTICITY AND CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

这个项目的长期目标是阐明神经元 海洋软体动物学习记忆的机制 加利福尼亚州。这种动物的防御性退缩反射 这是一个有用的系统。反射表现出几种形式， 学习，包括经典条件反射。神经元回路 是退缩反射的基础，尤其是它的单突触成分， 感觉神经元和运动神经元之间的突触相对简单 也很好理解拟议的实验将集中在一种形式的 突触可塑性称为Hebbian长时程增强（LTP）。这 突触可塑性的一种形式，特别是它在CA 1中的表现 海马区，已经显着牵连脊椎动物 记忆和认知。最近，已经描述了一种类型的LTP， 细胞培养中的感觉运动突触缺失（apLTP）似乎 在机制上与CA 1突触的LTP非常相似。具体目标 该提案的目的是确定与apLTP相关的进程是否 参与了在亚洲的学习。拟议的实验将利用 含有失智症中枢神经系统的制剂， 电生理学实验涉及的细胞类似物 经典的条件反射。拟议研究 将成为我们理解人类学习的基础 和记忆因此它可能有助于改善人类的记忆- 相关疾病，如阿尔茨海默氏病。

The long-term objective of this project is to elucidate the neuronal mechanisms of learning and memory in the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. The defensive withdrawal reflex of this animal constitutes a useful system for this purpose. The reflex exhibits several forms of learning, including classical conditioning. The neuronal circuitry which underlies the withdrawal reflex, particularly its monosynaptic component- the synapse between the sensory and motor neurons-is relatively simple and well understood. The proposed experiments will focus on a form of synaptic plasticity known as Hebbian long-term potentiation (LTP). This form of synaptic plasticity, particularly its manifestation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, has been prominently implicated in vertebrate memory and cognition. Recently, a type of LTP has been described for Aplysia sensorimotor synapses in cell culture (apLTP) which appears to be mechanistically quite similar to LTP of CA1 synapses. The specific aim of this proposal is to deterMine whether an apLTP-related process is involved in learning in Aplysia. The proposed experiments will utilize preparations comprising the central nervous system of Aplysia in electrophysiological experiments involving a cellular analogue of classical conditioning of the withdrawal reflex. The proposed research will serve as the basis for improving our understanding of human learning and memory. It may thereby contribute to ameliorating human memory- associated diseases, such as Alzheimer' s.