Expanded domain of learning-induced primary auditory cortical plasticity

学习引起的初级听觉皮层可塑性的扩展领域

• 批准号: 7487601
• 负责人: Kasia Bieszczad
• 金额: $ 3.09万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-02-01 至 2010-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7487601
• 关键词: Accounting; Acoustics; Affect; Animals; Auditory; Auditory area; Behavior; Behavioral; Characteristics; Cochlear implant procedure; Condition; Conditioned Stimulus; Cues; Development; Frequencies; Goals; Hearing; Human; Invasive; Lead; Learning; Length; Maps; Memory; Motivation; Operant Conditioning; Physiological; Play; Process; Range; Rattus; Recruitment Activity; Research; Research Project Grants; Rewards; Role; Specificity; Stimulus; Stroke; Testing; Training; Water; classical conditioning; conditioning; design; improved; research study; response

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Auditory learning is accompanied by specific physiological plasticity in the primary auditory cortex (A1). The processing and representation of acoustic frequencies and other acoustic parameters that gain behavioral importance through learning are generally emphasized, e.g., by selective decreased threshold or tuning shifts to the frequency of a reinforced stimulus. Research in learning-induced auditory plasticity has mainly focused on determinations of which acoustic parameters are affected (e.g., frequency, level, FM modulation). Recent studies indicate that there is a need to take into account non-auditory factors. The goals of this research project are to determine some of the factors that influence the induction of associative learning-induced cortical plasticity and to investigate the functional behavioral effects of the development of such specific plasticity. The proposed experiments were designed after initial research showed that the development of specific plasticity in A1 was determined not by the magnitude of learning or the amount of learning about absolute frequency, but rather by the type of learning strategy used to solve the apparently simple problem of bar-pressing for water, contingent on the presence of a tone. I will investigate factors that are likely to play important roles in governing frequency-specific plasticity in the primary auditory cortex in auditory associative memory: learning strategy and amount of training. I will also explore possible behavioral functional effects of learning-induced cortical plasticity: improved perceptual detectability and stronger memory. Instrumental conditioning of rats to bar-press for water rewards contingent upon tone presentations will be used to study learning, specificity of behavior and the strength and specificity of associative memory. Complete electrophysiological recordings across the entire rat hearing frequency range in primary auditory cortex will be used to correlate tuning changes with behavior. The findings will help to illuminate some of the learning influences on specific auditory cortical plasticity (learning strategy, length of training) and establish its relationship to behavior both perceptually (conditioned stimulus detectability) and mnemonically (strength of associative memory). Findings from the proposed studies could be used towards the development of auditory learning therapies for use after artificial cochlear implantation in humans to help acquire higher-level auditory function. The results from the proposed experiments could also lead to the development of ideal non-invasive therapies using learning tasks that induce cortical plasticity for regain of function after stroke, or other cortical destruction.

描述（由申请人提供）：听觉学习伴随着初级听觉皮层的特定生理可塑性（A1）。通常强调通过学习获得行为重要性的声学频率和其他声学参数的处理和表示，例如通过选择性降低阈值或调整到强化刺激的频率。学习引起的听觉可塑性的研究主要集中在确定哪些声学参数受到影响（例如频率、电平、FM 调制）。最近的研究表明，有必要考虑非听觉因素。该研究项目的目标是确定影响联想学习诱导的皮质可塑性诱导的一些因素，并研究这种特定可塑性发展的功能行为影响。初步研究表明，A1 中特定可塑性的发展不是由学习的幅度或绝对频率的学习量决定的，而是由用于解决看似简单的压杆取水问题的学习策略类型决定的，这取决于音调的存在，因此设计了所提出的实验。我将研究可能在控制听觉联想记忆中初级听觉皮层的频率特异性可塑性方面发挥重要作用的因素：学习策略和训练量。我还将探讨学习引起的皮质可塑性可能对行为功能产生的影响：提高感知可检测性和更强的记忆力。根据音调呈现对大鼠进行杠铃压水奖励的仪器调节将用于研究学习、行为特异性以及联想记忆的强度和特异性。在初级听觉皮层的整个大鼠听力频率范围内的完整电生理记录将用于将调谐变化与行为相关联。这些发现将有助于阐明学习对特定听觉皮层可塑性（学习策略、训练长度）的一些影响，并在感知（条件刺激可检测性）和记忆（联想记忆的强度）上建立其与行为的关系。拟议研究的结果可用于开发听觉学习疗法，供人类人工耳蜗植入后使用，以帮助获得更高水平的听觉功能。拟议实验的结果还可能导致开发理想的非侵入性疗法，利用学习任务诱导皮质可塑性，以在中风或其他皮质破坏后恢复功能。