The amygdala & cortical receptive field plasticity

描述(申请人提供)：本研究项目的目标是确定杏仁基底外侧核(BLA)参与调节大脑皮层生理记忆的强度，以初级听觉皮质(ACX)的学习诱导感受场(RF)可塑性为指标。拟议的实验将研究BLA在RF可塑性的诱导和巩固中的作用。此外，该研究还将探讨胆碱能基底核(NB)参与调节BLA对皮质可塑性的影响。众所周知，学习会在初级听觉皮质的声频感受场产生高度系统性的变化。调谐被改变以增加对行为重要刺激(例如，经典条件反射中的CS)的反应和表现，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：关联性、高度特异性、快速诱导、持续时间长(几个月)，并表现出巩固，即强度随着时间和天的增加而增加。拟议的研究解决的一个中心问题是，BLA是否调节学习诱导的大脑皮层RF可塑性。有广泛的证据表明，BLA调节各种训练的记忆巩固，并且这种调节涉及到BLA对其他大脑区域的影响，包括尾状核、海马体和内嗅觉皮质。鉴于有大量证据表明BLA调节其他脑区(包括大脑皮层)的记忆过程，建议的实验将研究BLA在调节听觉皮质RF可塑性的诱导和巩固中的作用，并确定这种调节影响是否通过激活NB来调节。这些发现将提供关于BLA调节记忆巩固影响的途径和系统的重要新信息，从而增加对大脑系统调节记忆形成的重要经验的理解。

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.