ETHANOL AND PREFRONTAL CORRELATES OF ATTENTION

描述：(改编自《调查员摘要》)提议的项目 探索酒精通过以下途径损害持续视觉注意力的假设 破坏内侧前额叶皮质(MPFC)的突触处理。一系列 的实验将系统地表征行为和 酒精引起的注意缺陷的神经生理学成分，以及 然后确定mPFC中断的程度是由于 乙醇与基底前脑胆碱能投射的相互作用。 这些实验将在大鼠身上应用多种单一单元记录技术 执行与神经心理测试密切相关的可操作性程序 用于人类。同时检测mPFC神经元活动和 高等认知过程代表了理解认知的一种新方法 与酒精使用相关的功能障碍。我们已经确定乙醇 损害持续注意力，mPFC神经活动与 大鼠持续注意任务的表现。初步数据显示 乙醇在神经相关基因中产生选择性改变 在持续性注意任务中的表现。这些研究将首先确定 低剂量乙醇对注意行为和单项记忆的影响 单位活动，然后系统地研究基底前脑的作用 在这些效应中，胆碱能传入mPFC。 随着用于监测大脑的新神经科学技术的出现 活动，以及更有效的动物检测程序，都有新的机会 研究酒精中毒的大脑机制。有一件急事 需要将关键大脑回路的功能与正在进行的研究联系起来 在急性发作后认知能力下降期间的行为表现 暴露在乙醇中。通过揭示作为基础的精确的神经机制 酒精引起的注意障碍，这项研究可能最终提供 有助于开发新的策略、治疗方法和 对酗酒和酗酒的干预。

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract) The proposed project explores the hypothesis that ethanol impairs sustained visual attention by disrupting synaptic processing in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). A series of experiments will systematically characterize the behavioral and neurophysiological components of the ethanol-induced attentional deficit, and then determine the extent to which the disruption of mPFC is due to an interaction of ethanol with cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain. The experiments will apply multiple single unit recording techniques to rats performing an operant procedure that closely models neuropsychological tests used in humans. The simultaneous assessment of mPFC neuronal activity and higher cognitive processes represents a new approach to understanding cognitive dysfunction associated with ethanol use. We have established that ethanol impairs sustained attention and that mPFC neural activity correlates with performance of a sustained attention task in rats. Preliminary data indicate that ethanol produces selective alterations in the neural correlates of performance in the sustained attention task. These studies will first establish the effects of low doses of ethanol on both attentional performance and single unit activity, then systematically investigate the role of basal forebrain cholinergic inputs to mPFC in these effects. With the advent of new neuroscientific techniques for monitoring brain activity, and more valid animal testing procedures, there are new opportunities for studying the brain mechanisms of ethanol intoxication. There is an urgent need for studies that relate the function of critical brain circuits to ongoing behavioral performance during the decline in cognition that follows acute exposure to ethanol. By revealing the precise neural mechanisms that underlie ethanol-induced attentional dysfunction, this research may ultimately provide clues that aid in the development of new strategies, treatments and interventions for alcohol abuse and alcoholism.