MEDIAL CORTEX FUNCTION AND FORAGING STRATEGY IN LIZARDS

哺乳动物和鸟类的海马体似乎是为了响应 空间认知的自然选择压力。 拟议 研究将调查海马体的结构同源物 蜥蜴的内侧皮层是记忆位置所必需的， 以满足积极觅食的生态需求。 的 内侧损伤的Cnemidophorous inornatus雄性的表现 将皮质和背侧皮质与假手术动物进行比较。 我 将研究两对同属的蜥蜴类物种， 不同的觅食方式 预计活跃的觅食者将 有更好的位置记忆和更大的内侧皮层体积比坐和- 等待捕食者。 对内侧皮层作为神经元的同源物的作用的研究 海马可能为记忆的分析提供更多的模型， 学习，可能是有用的研究有关的疾病， 海马体功能障碍包括老年痴呆症中风和意外事故 导致脑损伤 记忆的分子基础，通过研究 长时程增强也可以用爬行动物来研究， 更好地理解学习和记忆的神经结构 在这个门中。

The mammalian and avian hippocampus appears to grow in response to natural selection pressures for spatial cognition. The proposed research will investigate if the structural homolog to the hippocampus in lizards, the medial cortex, is necessary for place memory and grows in response to the ecological demands of active foraging. The performance of Cnemidophorous inornatus males with lesions of the medial cortex and dorsal cortex will be compared to sham operated animals. I will examine two pairs of congeneric species of lacertids that have different foraging styles. It is expected that the active foragers will have better place memory and a larger medial cortex volume than sit-and- wait predators. The study of the role of the medial cortex as a homologue to the hippocampus may provide more models for the analysis of memory and learning that may be useful for research relating to disorders involving hippocampal dysfunction including Alzheimer's, strokes, and accident- induced brain trauma. The molecular basis of memory via studies of long-term potentiation may also be studied using reptiles once we have a better understanding of the neural structures of learning and memory in this phyla.