Learning Within the Spinal Cord: Clinical Implications

描述(申请人提供)：传统上，脊髓一直是 被视为大脑和外围设备之间的通道，组织一些简单的 反应能力强，但在其他方面对学习和行为几乎没有贡献。然而， 最近的研究表明，大量的信息处理发生在 在脊髓内，而且这个系统不仅调节传入和 根据大脑的指令传出输入/输出，但也会自动适应新的 环境关系。 在脊髓内的学习可以用经历了 脊髓在第二个胸椎处被切断。反应-结果偶然性 通过对一条后腿施加冲击来建立，每当腿下降到 预置标准。脊髓神经元似乎对这种仪器很敏感 偶然性，让受试者快速学会保持腿部屈曲 位置，有效地最大限度地减少了受到冲击的机会。这种工具性学习 通过事先暴露于或有冲击而促进，并被 非偶然电击。应急训练似乎使行为 潜在的，而有害的非偶然刺激破坏了行为潜力。 拟议中的实验集中在培育和保存 脊髓内的行为可塑性及其意义 用于脊髓损伤后的功能恢复。建议进行的研究将 考察促进效应的保留，巴甫洛夫的影响 意外情况，以及临床相关刺激(神经损伤， 炎症)影响行为潜能。有人建议，有些人 神经化学系统(去甲肾上腺素能和/或5-羟色胺能)可能有助于 行为潜力。实验将检验是否使用这些系统 保护脊髓免受非或有有害物质的有害影响 刺激物。最后，研究将探索潜在的机制，使用 免疫细胞化学技术(c-fos)和实验是否 手法对挫伤后运动行为恢复的影响 受伤。 人们希望，发现促进和保护行为的机制 脊髓内的可塑性将导致新的行为和 促进脊髓损伤后功能恢复的药物治疗 受伤。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Traditionally, the spinal cord has been viewed as a conduit between the brain and the periphery, organizing some simple reflexes but otherwise contributing little to learning and behavior. However, recent studies suggest that a great deal of information processing occurs within the spinal cord, and that this system not only tunes the afferent and efferent input/output at the brain's bidding but also adapts on its own to new environmental relations. Learning within the spinai cord can be studied using rats that have had the spinal cord cut at the second thoracic vertebra. A response-outcome contingency is established by applying shock to one hindleg whenever the leg falls below a preset criterion. Spinal neurons appear sensitive to this instrumental contingency, for subjects quickly learn to maintain their leg in a flexed position, effectively minimizing exposure to shock. This instrumental learning is facilitated by prior exposure to contingent shock and disrupted by noncontingent shock. It appears contingent training enables behavioral potential while noxious noncontingent stimuli undermine behavioral potential. The proposed experiments focus on the mechanisms that foster and preserve behavioral plasticity within the spinal cord and the implications of this work for the recovery of function after spinal cord injury. Studies proposed will examine the retention of the facilitory effect, the impact of Pavlovian contingencies, and whether clinically relevant stimuli (nerve injury, inflammation) affect behavioral potential. It is suggested that some neurochemical systems (noradrenergic, and/or serotonergic) may help preserve behavioral potential. Experiments will examine whether engaging these systems protects the spinal cord from the deleterious effects of noncontingent noxious stimuli. Finally, studies will explore the underlying mechanisms using immunocytochemical techniques (c-fos) and whether the experimental manipulations affect the recovery of locomotor behavior after a contusion injury. It is hoped that discovering the mechanisms that promote and protect behavioral plasticity within the spinal cord will lead to new behavioral and pharmacological treatments that foster recovery of function after spinal cord injury.