CELLULAR STUDIES OF LEARNING

这项提案寻求继续研究，调查一名 中间神经元，S细胞，对一种新的非联想学习的贡献 过程，内在的敏化。S-细胞活性的变化 在内在敏感化过程中观察到的，这是一种假想的学习类型 在此期间进行的实验中首次观察到 团契。已知S细胞对其他形式的细胞至关重要 有证据表明S的这些变化-- 细胞活动是5-羟色胺能调节的结果。然而，内在的 敏化已被证明是一种不依赖5-羟色胺的学习。 进程。因此，我建议：(1)考察内在的 敏化依赖于S细胞通过激光进行的活动 切断S细胞的轴突，专门损伤这条中间神经元通路； (2)观察内源性敏化是否引起反应的改变 S细胞的性质(例如，兴奋性和/或数目的变化 起始点)，并将这些变化与已知发生在 S--细胞在其他形式的学习中。这些实验将 有助于理解细胞基础的努力 学习诱导的神经可塑性。

This proposal seeks to continue research investigating the role that an interneuron, the S-cell, contributes to a novel non-associative learning process, intrinsic sensitization. Changes in S-cell activity have been observed during intrinsic sensitization, a hypothesized type of learning observed for the first time in experiments performed during this fellowship. The S-cell is already known to be critical to other forms of learning in the leech and there is evidence that these changes in S- cell activity are due to serotonergic modulation. However, intrinsic sensitization has been shown to be a serotonin-independent learning process. Therefore, I propose to: (1) Examine whether intrinsic sensitization is dependent on S-cell activity by performing laser axotomies of the S-cell to specifically lesion this interneuron pathway; (2) Observe if intrinsic sensitization induces changes in the response properties of the S-cell (e.g. change in excitability and/or number of initiation sites) and compare these changes to those known to occur in the S-cell during other forms of learning. These experiments will contribute to efforts towards understanding the cellular basis of learning-induced neural plasticity.