REVERSIBLE LESIONS--CEREBELLAR MECHANISMS MOTOR LEARNING

描述(摘自申请者摘要)：长期目标 建议的工作是描述小脑突触的可塑性。 涉及动作的适应或学习的。这 信息将提供i)对小脑的更详细的了解 以及它在运动控制中的作用，II)更详细地了解 突触可塑性的机制是如何通过行为 学习事件，以及iii)对神经构建的更深层次的理解 可推广到其他学习形式和其他形式的学习块 大脑的不同区域。因此，这些信息将有助于更好地 了解正常、健康的学习机制，并更好地 对记忆病理的理解。此外，由于有证据表明 人类的小脑也调节某些认知功能，如 信息可能有助于识别认知和神经基础 它在精神疾病方面出了故障。 许多因素结合在一起有助于分析小脑及其 对运动学习的贡献；其中包括广泛的表征 小脑突触的组织和特定的和偶然的方式 它被几种很有特色的运动学习形式所采用。 我们会在拟议的研究中利用这些优势，进行 调节运动的小脑可塑性部位的详细分析 学习和管理这些网站的可塑性的规则。这一分析 还将强调两者之间的互动的功能意义 这些位置/规则决定了小脑的可塑性和网络动力学。 采用的主要方法是诱导可逆性损伤。 通过植入的插管微量输注各种物质 关键区域。这些物质将包括局部麻醉剂 防止该区域的所有活动，以及特定的激动剂和 关键神经递质的拮抗剂。具体的目标将考验一个 关于突触部位和规则的一系列详细假设 可塑性。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The long-term objective of the proposed work is to characterize the plasticity at cerebellar synapses that is involved in the adaptation or learning of movements. This information will provide i) a more detailed understanding of the cerebellum and its role in the control of movements, ii) a more detailed understanding of how the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity are engaged by the behavioral events of learning, and iii) a deeper understanding of the neural building blocks of learning which may generalize to other forms of learning and other regions of the brain. Thus, this information will contribute to a better understanding of the normal, healthy mechanisms of learning, and a better understanding of pathologies of memory. Moreover, since evidence indicates that the human cerebellum also mediates certain cognitive functions, such information may be useful in identifying the neural basis of cognition and its malfunction in mental illness. Many factors combine to facilitate analysis of the cerebellum and its contribution to motor learning; these include the extensive characterization of cerebellar synaptic organization and the specific and fortuitous ways in which it is engaged by several well characterized forms of motor learning. These advantages will be exploited in the proposed studies to undertake a detailed analysis of the sites of cerebellar plasticity that mediate motor learning and the rules that govern plasticity at these sites. This analysis will also emphasize the functional significance of the interactions between these sites/rules for plasticity and the network dynamics of the cerebellum. The primary method employed will be the induction of reversible lesions through micro-infusion of various substances through cannulae implanted in critical regions. These substances will include local anesthetics that prevent all activity in the region, as well as specific agonists and antagonists of critical neurotransmitters. The specific aims will test a series of detailed hypotheses regarding the sites and rules for synaptic plasticity.