Plasticity of sensorimotor neocortex

记忆是如何被编码到大脑中的呢？大多数行为神经科学家都认为，记忆是通过神经元之间连接强度的变化而在大脑中形成的，而神经元之间的连接强度的变化又导致了神经回路的重构。在哺乳动物新皮层中探索这种“突触可塑性和记忆假说”已经成为我的兴趣所在。我建议分析习得的熟练行为对大脑变化的影响。本研究方案是基于增强现象的性质与学习记忆的性质是同源的具体假设。我将使用突触增强现象和熟练学习范式来详细说明大鼠脑感觉运动新皮层内大脑可塑性的机制。我将通过确定a)丰富的经验对发展的影响，b)神经网络对行为的激活特性，c)行为产生的突触基础，d)确定经验对体感组织的影响，以及e)突触增强对熟练学习的作用，来推进我们对学习和记忆的认识。这些创新的实验将使我们能够更好地理解哺乳动物新皮层中负责学习和记忆的机制，这将最终导致学习障碍和记忆丧失的治疗方法的创造。

How is it that memories are encoded into the brain? Most behavioural neuroscientists agree that memories are instantiated into the brain through changes in the connection strengths between neurons which in turn causes a restructuring of neural circuits. Exploring this "synaptic plasticity and memory hypothesis" within the mammalian neocortex has become of interest to me. I propose to analyze of the effects of learned skilled behaviour on brain change. This research proposal is based on the specific hypothesis that the properties of potentiation phenomena and learning & memory are homologous. I will detail the mechanisms of brain plasticity within the sensorimotor neocortex of the rat brain using both synaptic potentiation phenomena and skilled-learning paradigms. I will advance our knowledge of learning and memory by determining a) the consequences of enriched experience on development, b) the activation properties of neural networks on behaviour, c) the synaptic basis of behavioural generation, d) determining the effect of experience on somatosensory organization, and e) role of synaptic potentiation on skilled learning. These innovative experiments will allow us to achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for learning and memory in the mammalian neocortex and this will ultimately lead to the creation of treatments for learning disorders and memory loss.