AMYGDALA-NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS ASSOCIATIVE FUNCTIONS

长期以来，杏仁核和伏隔核一直被认为是通过强化和动机刺激来控制行为的重要结构。最近的工作表明，杏仁核的基底外侧复合体(BLC)和伏隔核作为一个参与处理获得的刺激值信息的系统发挥作用，它强烈地单向投射到伏隔核。然而，关于这个系统的功能仍然存在几个问题，包括它是参与学习过程还是只是学习信息的行为表达，以及它对处理欲望和厌恶的刺激值信息是否同样重要。拟议的实验将调查BLC和伏隔神经参与这些功能的性质。具体目标1将使用食欲二阶条件反射任务(这允许评估刺激获得动机价值的程度)，以确定BLC和伏隔是否参与食欲刺激价值信息的学习或执行。具体目标2将使用厌恶动机的二阶条件反射任务来确定伏隔是否参与厌恶刺激值的加工，如果是，以何种能力进行。特殊目标3将使用体内电生理学来研究伏隔神经反应中如何编码食欲和厌恶刺激值，以及这种编码依赖于BLC的程度。人们希望，这些互补的方法将使人们能够更全面地了解这些结构如何共同作用，以影响正常和疾病状态下的动机行为。

The amygdala and nucleus accumbens have long been recognized as structures important for the control over behavior by reinforcing and motivational stimuli. More recent work suggests that the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLC) and the accumbens, to which it projects strongly and unidirectionally, function as a system involved in the processing of acquired stimulus value information. However, several questions remain regarding the functions of this system, including whether it is involved in learning processes or simply behavioral expression of learned information, and whether it is equally important for processing of appetitive and aversive stimulus value information. The proposed experiments will investigate the nature of the involvement of the BLC and accumbens in these functions. Specific Aim 1 will use an appetitive second-order conditioning task (which allows assessment of the degree to which a stimulus has acquired motivational value), to determine whether the BLC and accumbens are involved in learning or performance of appetitive stimulus value information. Specific Aim 2 will use an aversively motivated second-order conditioning task to determine whether the accumbens is involved in processing of aversive stimulus value, and if so, in what capacity. Specific Aim 3 will use in vivo electrophysiology to investigate how appetitive and aversive stimulus value are encoded in accumbens neuronal responses, and the degree to which this encoding is dependent on the BLC. It is hoped that these complementary approaches will enable a more complete understanding of how these structures function together to influence motivated behavior in both normal and disease states.