NEURAL BASIS OF ASSOCIATIVE LEARNING

目前的研究计划检查复合体的神经解剖学基础。 在虎皮鹦鹉身上学习。关于基本知识，我们已经知道很多 该物种发声研究中的神经行为学过程， 听力，生殖行为的行为学和生理学，以及 中枢神经系统的神经解剖学。为此，虎皮鹦鹉提供了一种独特的 基本生物因子间相互作用的检验模型 学习。提出了三套相关的实验方案。第一, 神经解剖学和路径跟踪技术将用于扩展 声学信息加工中的通路研究 虎皮鹦鹉的中枢神经系统--这项工作是由 目前由NIMH提供的一小笔赠款资助。第二，一名歌剧演员 已被证明在该物种中成功的条件化程序将是 经过修改以允许应用复杂的多维缩放 第一次研究自然的知觉学习的技术 声音和视觉刺激。第三，在所学知识的指导下 上述通路追踪、可操作性条件反射和多维 缩放实验，这些技术将结合在一起来检查 损毁选定的大脑区域和通路对学习的影响。这 各种技术的融合为探索神经提供了一个独特的机会 听觉和视觉的整合或多模式联系的基础 学习过程中的信息。通过解决一般的生物学问题， 目前的研究计划将提供一些对基本情况的深入见解 所有复杂脊椎动物共有的学习生物学基础 包括人类。

The present research plan examines the neuroanatomical basis for complex learning in the budgerigar. Much is already known about basic neuroethological processes in this species from studies of vocalizations, hearing, and the ethology and physiology of reproductive behavior and the neuroanatomy of the CNS. For this reason the budgerigar offers a unique model for examining the interaction of basic biological factors in learning. Three related sets of experiments are proposed. First, neuroanatomical and pathway tracing techniques will be used to extend a study of the pathways involved in the processing of acoustic information in the central nervous system of the budgerigar - work that was initiated and is currently funded with a small grant from NIMH. Second, an operant conditioning procedure already proven successful in this species will be modified to allow the application of sophisticated multidimensinal scaling tecniques to examine, for the first time, perceptual learning of natural acoustic and visual stimuli. Third, guided by the knowledge gained from the above pathway tracing, operant conditioning, and multidimensional scaling experiments, these techniques will be combined to examine the effect of lesioning selected brain areas and pathways on learning. This blend of techniques provides a unique opportunity to explore the neural basis of the integration or intermodal association of auditory and visual information during learning. By addressing general biological issues, the present research plan will offer some penetrating insights into the basic biological foundations of learning common to all complex vertebrates including humans.