The amygdala & cortical receptive field plasticity

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究项目的目标是确定基底外侧杏仁核（BLA）参与调节大脑皮层的生理记忆强度，并通过初级听觉皮层（ACx）的学习诱导感受野（RF）可塑性来指示。本实验将探讨BLA在射频塑性诱导和巩固中的作用。此外，本研究将探讨胆碱能基底核（NB）在介导BLA对皮质可塑性的影响中的作用。学习在初级听觉皮层的声学频率接受区产生高度系统的变化是公认的。调谐被改变，以增加对行为重要刺激的反应和表征（例如，经典条件反射中的CS），同时减少对其他频率的反应。射频可塑性具有记忆的主要特征：它具有关联性，高度特异性，快速诱导，持久（数月），并表现出巩固性，即在数小时和数天内强度增加。所提出的研究解决的一个中心问题是，BLA是否调节学习诱导的皮质RF可塑性。有大量的证据表明，BLA调节各种训练的记忆巩固，并且这种调节涉及到BLA对大脑其他区域的影响，包括尾状核、海马和内嗅皮层。鉴于大量证据表明，脑区调节包括皮质区域在内的其他大脑区域的记忆过程，本实验将研究脑区在调节听觉皮层射频可塑性的诱导和巩固中的作用，并确定这种调节影响是否由脑区激活介导。这一发现将提供关于调节BLA对记忆巩固的调节影响的途径和系统的重要新信息，从而增加对调节重要经历记忆形成的大脑系统的理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this research project is to determine the involvement of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in modulating the strength of physiological memory in the cerebral cortex, as indexed by learning-induced receptive field (RF) plasticity in the primary auditory cortex (ACx). The proposed experiments will investigate the role of the BLA in the induction and consolidation of RF plasticity. Moreover, the research will examine the involvement of the cholinergic nucleus basalis (NB) in mediating the BLA effects on cortical plasticity. It is well established that learning produces highly systematic changes in acoustic frequency receptive fields in the primary auditory cortex. Tuning is altered to increase response to and representation of behaviorally important stimuli (e.g., CS in classical conditioning) while reducing responses to other frequencies. RF plasticity has major characteristics of memory: it is associative, highly specific, rapidly induced, long-lasting (months) and exhibits consolidation, that is, increases in strength over hours and days. A central issue addressed by the proposed studies is whether the BLA modulates learning-induced cortical RF plasticity. There is extensive evidence that the BLA modulates the consolidation of memory for various kinds of training and that the modulation involves BLA influences on other brain regions including the caudate nucleus, hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. In view of the extensive evidence that the BLA modulates memory processes in other brain regions, including cortical regions, the proposed experiments will examine the role of the BLA in modulating the induction and consolidation of RF plasticity in the auditory cortex and determine whether the modulatory influences are mediated by activation of the NB. The findings will provide significant new information concerning the pathways and systems mediating the regulating influence of the BLA on memory consolidation and, thus, increase understanding of brain systems modulating the formation of memory for significant experiences.