Behavioral Analysis of Hippocampal Function

描述(由申请人提供)：这项建议的主要目标是通过开发一套行为范式来测试计算模型对分配给海马体的特定功能的操作所作的假设，并检查海马体的次区域特异性。研究海马子区域的不同贡献的重要性是了解海马体内的信息流，以便确定海马体的输入输出功能，并了解海马体对助记信息和记忆表征的整体处理的贡献。更具体地说，第一个目标是开发行为范式来检查基于空间、时间和反应属性的模式分离过程，确定背侧和腹侧海马体是否在这些模式分离过程中发挥作用，如果是的话，分析次区域特异性(DG、CA1和CA3)并检验计算模型做出的预测。第二个目标是开发行为范式来研究模式关联的形成，包括涉及非空间和空间关联的对象-地点和气味-地点关联，涉及非空间关联的气味-对象关联，以及涉及非空间和时间信息的气味-延迟-对象关联，以确定背侧和腹侧海马区是否在这些模式关联的形成中发挥作用，如果是的话，分析次区域特异性(DG、CA1和CA3)并检验计算模型所作的预测。第三个目标是开发行为范式来检验空间和时间信息的模式完成，确定背侧和腹侧海马区是否在空间和时间信息的模式完成中发挥作用，如果是的话，分析次区域特异性(DG、CA1和CA3)并检验计算模型所做的预测。希望这些信息将有助于理解背侧和腹侧海马亚区在人类记忆信息处理中的作用。这一点特别令人感兴趣，因为慢性应激似乎在CA3区产生损伤，而低氧发作似乎主要在CA1区产生细胞损失。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The main goal of this proposal is to test the assumptions made by computational models concerning the operation of specific functions assigned to the hippocampus by developing a set of behavioral paradigms and to examine subregional specificity of the hippocampus. The importance of examining differential contributions of the sub regions of the hippocampus is to understand information flow within the hippocampus, so that it will be possible to determine input-output functions of the hippocampus and understand the contribution that the hippocampus makes to the overall processing of mnemonic information and memory representation. More specifically, the first aim is to develop behavioral paradigms to examine pattern separation processes based on spatial, temporal, and response attributes, to determine whether the dorsal and ventral hippocampus play a role in each of these pattern separation processes, and if so, to analyze subregional specificity (DG, CA1 and CA3) and test predictions made by computational models. The second aim is to develop behavioral paradigms to examine the formation of pattern associations including object-place and odor-place associations that involve non-spatial and spatial associations, odor-object associations that involve non-spatial associations, and odor-delay-object associations that involves non-spatial and temporal information, to determine whether the dorsal and ventral hippocampus play a role in the formation of each of these pattern associations, and if so, to analyze subregional specificity (DG, CA1 and CA3) and test predictions made by computational models. The third aim is to develop behavioral paradigms to examine pattern completion for spatial and temporal information, to determine whether the dorsal and ventral hippocampus play a role in pattern completion for spatial and temporal information, and if so, to analyze subregional specificity (DG, CA1 and CA3) and test predictions made by computational models. It is hoped that this information will be useful in understanding the role of sub regions of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in processing mnemonic information in humans. This is of special interest since chronic stress appears to produce damage in the CA3 region and hypoxic episodes appear to produce cell loss primarily in the CA1 region.