Activity dynamics in central amygdala during habit formation

项目摘要 决策对生存至关重要，但在大脑功能水平上理解是一个复杂的过程。 动物和人类一样，可以使用两种策略来解决决策问题：目标导向或习惯性 行为当动物从依赖目标导向的策略转变为习惯时，习惯在训练的后期出现 有经验的人从生物学上讲，习惯是通过一个区域网络之间的交流而发展起来的， 跨越大脑。对习惯形成特别感兴趣的是前额叶皮层（IL），感觉运动皮层（SINS）， 纹状体（DLS）、多巴胺能投射到纹状体（SNc）和杏仁核中央核（CeA）。 先前的工作表明，IL和DLS中形成了一种特征性的神经元信号， 发展，单单位神经元活动强调开始和结束的行为，因为它 变得很有学问。重要的是，由于习惯是由多个组成部分（例如，行动的效率 序列和对目标值不敏感），这些个体特征与不同大脑中的神经活动相关。 习惯网络中的区域（IL：结果贬值不敏感，DLS：行动活力）。但有一个 杏仁核中央核（CeA）的活动如何编码习惯，以及这种活动如何编码习惯， 与这些相互关联的区域的功能有关 这个项目的目标是确定CeA中的神经活动如何有助于习惯的形成， 行为的不同组成部分是否与神经活动相关。基本原理是习惯网络 在哺乳动物中是保守的，因为习惯是普遍存在的，基础研究的潜力可以转化为 改善人类的生活条件是很高的。核心假设是CeA神经元会发展出一种“组块”， 一种习惯形成所必需的活动模式，这种神经活动的行为相关性类似于 与白细胞介素相关的在具体目标1的方法和数据的指导下， 的习惯和方法来测试习惯的形成，具体目标2将，通过在体内 电生理学，确定CeA活性是否以类似于IL，DLS和SNc的方式作为习惯形式 一个高级迷宫任务具体目标3详细介绍了一个计划，以确定和追求博士后研究 奖学金完成后，论文工作中所描述的具体目标2。总体而言，拟议 这项实验有可能为心理健康临床医生和研究人员提供重要的见解， 强迫性行为可能是由不适当的杏仁核活动引起的， 可以促进心理现象，如习惯的形成。

Project Summary Decision-making is critical for survival but is a complex process to understand at the level of brain function. Animals and humans alike can use two strategies to solve problems of decision-making: goal-directed or habitual behavior. Habits emerge late in training as animals transition from reliance on a goal-directed strategy to a habit with experience. Biologically, habits are known to develop via communication between a network of areas that span across the brain. Of particular interest for habit formation are the prefrontal cortex (IL), the sensorimotor striatum (DLS), dopaminergic projections to the striatum (SNc), and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Previous work has shown that a characteristic neuronal signature develops in IL and DLS, where as a habit develops, single-unit neuronal activity accentuates the beginning and end of actions of the behavior as it becomes well-learned. Importantly, as habits are comprised of multiple components (e.g. efficiency of action sequences and insensitivity to goal value), these individual features correlate with neural activity in distinct brain areas across the habit network (IL: outcome devaluation insensitivity, DLS: action vigor). However, there is a gap in knowledge in how activity in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) codes habits or how that activity relates to the function of these other interconnected areas The objective of this project is to define how neural activity in CeA contributes to habit formation and whether a distinct component of behavior correlates with neural activity. The rationale is that the habit network is conserved across mammals as habits are ubiquitous and the potential for basic research to translate into bettering the human condition is high. The central hypothesis is that CeA neurons will develop a “chunking” pattern of activity that is necessary for a habit to develop, with behavioral correlates of this neural activity similar to those that correlate with IL. Guided by methods and data from Specific Aim 1, where behavioral phenotypes of habit and methodology to test habit formation are addressed, Specific Aim 2 will, through in-vivo electrophysiology, determine if CeA activity brackets in a manner similar to IL, DLS, and SNc as a habit forms on an elevated plus-maze task. Specific Aim 3 details a plan to identify and pursue a postdoctoral research fellowship upon completion of the dissertation work described in Specific Aim 2. Overall, the proposed experiment has the potential to provide mental health clinicians and researchers significant insight into how compulsive actions may arise from improperly timed amygdalar activity and will further define how neural activity can contribute to psychological phenomena such as habit formation.