REVERSIBLE LESIONS--CEREBELLAR MECHANISMS MOTOR LEARNING

描述（改编自申请人摘要）：长期目标 拟开展的工作是表征小脑突触的可塑性 与运动的适应或学习有关。 这 信息将提供i）对小脑更详细的了解 及其在运动控制中的作用，ii）更详细的了解 突触可塑性的机制是如何被行为 学习事件，以及iii）对神经构建的更深入理解 学习的块，可以推广到其他形式的学习和其他 大脑的各个区域。 因此，这些信息将有助于更好地 了解正常、健康的学习机制， 对记忆病理学的理解。 此外，由于证据表明， 人类的小脑也调节某些认知功能， 信息可能有助于识别认知的神经基础， 它在精神疾病中的功能障碍。 许多因素联合收割机有助于分析小脑及其 对运动学习的贡献;这些包括广泛的表征 小脑突触组织的特殊和偶然的方式， 它参与了几种很好的运动学习形式。 这些优势将在拟议的研究中加以利用， 详细分析了小脑可塑性介导运动的部位， 学习和控制这些位点可塑性的规则。 该分析 还将强调， 这些网站/规则的可塑性和网络动力学的小脑。 采用的主要方法是诱导可逆性病变 通过植入的套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， 阻止该区域的所有活动，以及特定的激动剂， 关键神经递质的拮抗剂。 具体目标将测试一个 一系列关于突触发生的部位和规律的详细假设 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.