ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION AND MOTOR FUNCTIONS

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

A program of studies will be conducted to examine actions of ethanol on brain regions related to self-administration of ethanol and to sensory motor integration. Rats will be used as experimental models to study the activity of neurons which cause the behavioral task sequencing related to operant control of ethanol self-administration. The influence of sensory cues will be studied on the initiation maintenance and termination of a drinking 'bout'. Newly developed concurrent many-neuron recording techniques will be employed which utilize groups of chronically implanted microwires for neuron spike train detection and statistical/graphical analysis. Neuron recording will be conducted primarily in the mesolimbic system including the media prefrontal cortex subregions of the nucleus accumbens and the dopamine and nondopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area. Neuron signals will be studied in relation to similar motor tasks leading to alternate rewards of ethanol or sucrose solution. Influence of ethanol on a tone cue reaction time task will be studied. This neurophysiological analysis of behavioral control will provide new insights into possible avenues for therapeutic regulation of ethanol consumption.