A NEW MODEL FOR FEAR LEARNING IN TROUT

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 我们建议开发一种利用彩虹鲑鱼进行恐惧条件作用的新模型。这个模型结合了我们最近在蜥蜴和虹鲑鱼的社会压力研究中发现的元素，以及用于空间学习(Morris水迷宫)和恐惧条件作用的明确的啮齿动物模型。社交攻击性是已知的最强大的压力源，我们以进军更大的入侵者鱼的形式将其作为无条件刺激(美国)。这种社会攻击性US与听觉/躯体感觉条件刺激(CS)配对，在仅对较小的常驻试验鱼(由于大小)可用的逃生路线(洞)的背景下。鱼要么学会逃避社会攻击，要么呆在鱼缸里被攻击和服从。在CS-US配对7天后，在第8天，CS单独出现(没有较大的鱼)，鱼的反应要么是逃逸，要么是生理条件反应，血浆皮质醇升高。该模型被设计用于在高度恐惧的情况下测试空间学习，并使用与环境和生态相关的刺激和行为反应产生恐惧条件反射。我们假设，神经肽CRF调节鲑鱼在社交攻击性环境中学习时采用的压力应对策略。这项建议的目的是： 1.对模型的实验参数进行了测试和改进 2.证明我们可以获得可重复的结果 3.在恐惧学习中，开始区分CRF在压力应对策略中的作用 4.应用脑组织显微解剖和实时定量聚合酶链式反应技术比较鲑鱼特定脑区CRF和CRF受体基因在学会逃避和不学会逃避的脑区的表达

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. We propose to develop a new model for fear conditioning using rainbow trout. This model combines elements discovered during our recent work on social stress in lizards and rainbow trout with well defined rodent models for spatial learning (Morris water maze) and fear conditioning. Social aggression is the most potent stressor known, which we utilize in the form of a march larger intruder fish as an unconditioned stimulus (US). This social aggression US is paired with an auditory/somatosensory conditioned stimulus (CS) in context of an escape route (hole) available only to the smaller resident test fish (due to size). Fish either learn to escape from social aggression or remain in the tank to be attacked and subordinated. After seven days of CS-US paairing, on the eighth day the CS is presented alone (without the larger fish), and fish respond either by escaping or by a physiologically conditioned response, elevated plasma cortisol. The model is designed to be used for testing spatial learning in a highly fearful situation, and producing fear conditioning using contextually and ecologically relevant stimuli and behavioral responses. We hypothesize that the neuropeptide CRF regulates which stress coping strategies are adopted by trout during learning in a socially aggressive environment. The aims of this proposal are to: 1. Test and refine the experimental parameters of the model 2. Prove that we can obtain repeatable results 3. Begin to distinguish the role of the CRF in stress coping strategies during fear learning 4. Compare expression of CRF and CRF receptor genes in specific brain regions of trout that do and don't learn to escape using brain punch microdissection and real-time PCR