Plasticity of sensorimotor neocortex

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How is it that memories are encoded into the brain? Most behavioural neuroscientists agree that memories are instantiated into the brain through changes in the connection strengths between neurons which in turn causes a restructuring of neural circuits. Exploring this "synaptic plasticity and memory hypothesis" within the mammalian neocortex has become of interest to me. I propose to analyze of the effects of learned skilled behaviour on brain change. This research proposal is based on the specific hypothesis that the properties of potentiation phenomena and learning & memory are homologous. I will detail the mechanisms of brain plasticity within the sensorimotor neocortex of the rat brain using both synaptic potentiation phenomena and skilled-learning paradigms. I will advance our knowledge of learning and memory by determining a) the consequences of enriched experience on development, b) the activation properties of neural networks on behaviour, c) the synaptic basis of behavioural generation, d) determining the effect of experience on somatosensory organization, and e) role of synaptic potentiation on skilled learning. These innovative experiments will allow us to achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for learning and memory in the mammalian neocortex and this will ultimately lead to the creation of treatments for learning disorders and memory loss.