MODULATION OF NEURAL SYSTEMS IN LEARNING AND MEMORY

在很大程度上，根据病变研究，不同的神经系统似乎负责学习和记忆不同类别的信息。然而，大多数学习经历包含的信息跨越了这些不同神经系统所服务的班级。这个项目的主要目标是确定记忆处理的调节器是否调节不同大脑系统在学习过程中的相对参与，从而调节不同的大鼠在这些情况下学习什么。拟议的实验使用直接脑内注射葡萄糖和吗啡，以及体内微透析/高效液相色谱法测量乙酰胆碱的输出，来研究啮齿类动物的学习和记忆。将测试三个任务和三个大脑区域：条件位置偏好学习，杏仁核依赖；位置学习，海马体依赖；反应学习，纹状体依赖。第一组实验直接注射葡萄糖和吗啡，这两种疗法在注射时会增强和损害学习和记忆过程。由于每个解剖系统有时会干扰另一个系统的学习，一些预测包括明显自相矛盾的损伤和适当注射葡萄糖和吗啡增强学习。第二组实验确定与训练相关的乙酰胆碱增加是否仅限于那些被不同训练程序激活的神经系统。包括一项任务，在这项任务中，老鼠可以使用两种策略中的任何一种进行学习。因为每种策略都可能需要不同神经系统的主要参与，所以在训练期间对每个系统中乙酰胆碱输出的测量可能会揭示出单个大鼠正在学习什么，即它在学习过程中采用了哪种策略。第三组实验确定，只有在特定训练激活的神经系统中，葡萄糖增强学习和记忆是否伴随着乙酰胆碱释放的增加。这些实验的发现可能会导致对记忆调节器如何调节学习过程中不同记忆系统的相对参与的新观点。

Largely on the basis of lesion studies, different neural systems appear to be responsible for learning and remembering different classes of information. However, most learning experiences contain information that crosses the classes served by these distinct neural systems. The main goal of this project is to determine whether modulators of memory processing regulate the relative participation of different brain systems during learning, thereby regulating what different rats learn in those situations. The proposed experiments use direct brain injections of glucose and morphine, together with in vivo microdialysis/HPLC measures of acetylcholine output, to study learning and memory in rodents. Three tasks and three brain areas will be tested: conditioned place preference learning, amygdala-dependent; place learning, hippocampus-dependent; response learning, striatum-dependent. The first set of experiments uses direct injections of glucose and morphine, treatments which enhance and impair learning and memory processes where injected. Because each of the anatomical systems can at times interfere with learning by another system, some predictions include apparently paradoxical impairment and enhancement of learning by appropriate injections of glucose and morphine. The second set of experiments determines whether training-related increases in acetylcholine are restricted to those neural systems activated by different training procedures. Included is one task in which rats can learn using either of two strategies. Because each strategy is likely to require major participation by a different neural system, measures of acetylcholine output in each system during training might reveal what an individual rat is learning, i.e. which strategy it employs during learning. The third set of experiments determines whether glucose enhancement of learning and memory is accompanied by augmented acetylcholine release only in the neural system activated by specific training. The findings of these experiments may lead to a new view of how modulators of memory regulate the relative participation of different memory systems during learning.