兔海马乙酰胆碱敏感神经元在瞬膜条件反射不同阶段中的作用

本工作应用经典瞬膜条件反射和电生理学的方法,研究海马中的胆碱能传递在学习和记忆过程中的作用。实验在11只新西兰白兔上进行。音调和气流刺激角膜的结合训练过程中,在海马背部记录到和瞬膜条件反射的发展平行,并先于条件反射行为的神经元放电增加。在条件反射形成初期阶段,侧脑室注射胆碱受体阻断剂——QNB 后,海马的学习相关性电活动受到阻抑,瞬膜条件反射消失,但非条件瞬膜反射仍然存在。条件反射巩固后,QNB 仍然使海马的学习相关性电活动受到阻抑,但瞬膜条件反射不受影响。实验证明,在瞬膜条件反射形成过程中起主导作用的海马神经元是对乙酰胆碱敏感的神经元,但在条件反射巩固以后,海马以下水平的脑结构发展了在这种简单学习模式中的功能自主性。     

尾核在学习、记忆和条件反射活动中的作用

关于尾核与学习、记忆及条件反射活动的关系,过去研究较少。近二十年来,不少作者采用刺激、损毁及电生理等方法,在一系列的行为模型上,对尾核在学习、记忆及条件反射活动中的作用进行了研究,提供了尾核参与条件反射活动的大量证据。本文对此作了简要介绍,试图表明,在关于学习、记忆及条件反射活动神经机制的研究中,尾核也是值得注意的中枢部位之一。     

尾核在学习、记忆和条件反射活动中的作用

关于尾核与学习、记忆及条件反射活动的关系,过去研究较少.近二十年来,不少作者采用刺激、损毁及电生理等方法,在一系列的行为模型上,对尾核在学习、记忆及条件反射活动中的作用进行了研究,提供了尾核参与条件反射活动的大量证据.本文对此作了简要介绍,试图表明,在关于学习、记忆及条件反射活动神经机制的研究中,尾核也是值得注意的中枢部位之一.     

条件反射形成过程中猴大脑皮层电活动变化的一些观察

实驗在5只成年中国产猕猴(Macaca Mulatta)身上进行。利用在条件反射实驗前不足以引起皮层誘发电位的弱閃光刺激,結合以前肢皮肤电刺激建立条件反射。实驗証明,在条件反射形成的初期和消退过程中,同样強度的弱閃光刺激能在大脑皮层枕叶和頂叶引起明显誘发电位,它的出現早于前肢的条件运动反应。在条件反射巩固之后,弱閃光不再明显地引起誘发电位,而在条件刺激时只有皮层自发电位的去同步化出現,或者甚至不出現大脑皮层电活动的显著变化。     

GDNF在慢性应激和老化致小鼠行为与认知损伤中的作用

目的:探讨慢性应激对不同月龄小鼠空间学习记忆功能的影响,以及小鼠前脑皮层和海马胶质细胞源性神经营养因子(GDNF)的作用。方法:采用多因素慢性应激动物模型,通过旷场试验和Morris水迷宫试验,检测不同月龄小鼠行为及空间学习记忆能力,并检测GDNF在小鼠脑海马和前脑皮层的表达。结果:与青年(2月龄)小鼠比较,老年(15月龄)小鼠的自发活动和探究行为明显减少,空间学习记忆能力明显降低(P<0.05,P<0.01),且海马CA3区、齿状回和前脑皮层GDNF表达明显下降(P<0.05,P<0.01);在慢性应激后,与对照组比较,青年和老年应激组小鼠的自发活动和探究行为显著减少,空间学习记忆能力显著降低(P<0.05,P<0.01),且小鼠前脑皮层和海马GDNF表达显著下降(P<0.05,P<0.01),老年应激小鼠变化更加显著。结论:脑的老化和慢性应激导致小鼠行为及空间学习记忆功能改变,可能与海马和前脑皮层神经元GDNF表达的变化密切相关。     

缰核对蓝斑核的兴奋作用

1.本文记录了蓝斑核等部位的单位自发放电,实验表明这些细胞可能含有阿片受体.它们可为自然痛刺激所兴奋,可被吗啡等镇痛剂所抑制。 2.电刺激缰核可以使蓝斑细胞的自发放电频率增高。损毁一侧缰核可使蓝斑细胞自发放电暂时性减少。 3.电泳乙酰胆碱使蓝斑核细胞放电增多.电泳阿托品使之减少,并可对抗刺激缰核所引起的蓝斑细胞放电增多反应。电泳毒扁豆碱一般能增加蓝斑细胞放电频率。电泳γ-氨基丁酸抑制蓝斑放电。可见刺激缰核引起蓝斑细胞放电增多是通过释放乙酰胆碱递质实现的。 4.刺激缰核(可能通过中间神经元)加强蓝斑细胞的自发放电。由于缰核是许多前脑边缘结构至脑干的重要驿站,故前脑可能通过缰核对蓝斑的活动进行某种调节。     

尾核内注入GABA、Picrotoxin对大脑皮层电活动的影响及其与食物性运动条件反射的关系

前文曾报道了于尾核头部注入 GABA 3mg,GABA 转氨酶的抑制剂 AOAA(7—10μg)和 GABA 的拮抗剂 picrotoxin(0.3—0.5μg)均可暂时抑制兔的食物性条件反射,本文继而观察了在这些药物的作用过程中脑电的变化。结果表明,这些药物抑制条件反射活动的效果虽然相同,但它们对皮层电活动的影响不一样:在 GABA 和 AOAA 的作用下,脑电主要呈现同步化的高幅慢波;而在 picrotoxin 的作用下,脑电图则仍呈现去同步化的快波。若以未经条件反射训练的兔皮层视区光诱发的平均慢负电位为指标,于尾核头部注射 GABA 使诱发的慢负电位于5—10min 内受到抑制,持续1小时左右,但注射 picrotoxin 后30min,诱发的慢负电位才受到抑制,也只需要1小时恢复正常。     

延髓腹侧结构在刺激缰核诱发升压反应中的作用

电刺激缰核(Hb)可使大鼠血压明显升高,但心率变化不明显。电刺激Hb血压升高的同时,延髓腹侧结构(VM)中46.5％的神经元自发放电频率增加,这些神经元分布在VM的升压神经元群中,41.9％的神经元自发放电频率降低,这些神经元分布在VM的降压神经元群中,11.6%的神经元自发放电频率不变,升压和降压神经元群中均有这种神经元。单侧损毁VM的网状旁巨细胞核后,动物血压基本不变,也不影响电刺激Hb引起的升压反应。双侧损毁VM的网状旁巨细胞核后,动物血压从98.4±11.2mmHg降至45.2±10.3mmHg,阻断了电刺激Hb引起的升压反应。单侧或双恻损毁疑核及部分延髓网状核腹侧后,动物血压基本不变,且不影响电刺激Hb引起的升压反应。 上述结果表明,Hb主要通过VM中升压神经元群的网状旁巨细胞核参与心血管活动的调节。     

刺激中缝背核区对猫小脑皮层浦肯野细胞电活动的影响

本文研究了刺激外周神经及中缝背核区对猫小脑皮层浦肯野细胞(Purkinje Cell,PC)电活动的影响。在清醒的去大脑猫上记录刺激桡深神经(NRP)及腓深神经(NPP)时PC的电变化,并观察刺激中缝背核区对PC自发放电以及肢体神经传入冲动诱发活动的影响。结果表明,刺激NPP和NRP均可引起小脑皮层第Ⅴ和第ⅦA小叶的PC产生兴奋或抑制反应。刺激中缝背核区对PC自发放电以及诱发活动主要起抑制性影响。     

学习记忆对脑内c-fos基因表达的影响

学习记忆是人和动物重要的脑功能,大量事实表明,学习记忆过程与脑内ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因的表达密切相关。由学习记忆所诱导的ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因表达在脑内广泛分布,以皮层、海马和边缘系统为多,依学习记忆训练模型的不同,其表达时程有所差异,但一般于训练后立即或３０分钟左右出现,１～２小时左右达峰值。被动和主动回避训练、光辨别训练及味觉厌恶性条件反射训练等多种学习记忆模型均可诱导脑内ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因的表达。其他影响学习记     

Cerebellar function in consolidation of a motor memory

Several forms of motor learning, including classical conditioning of the eyeblink and nictitating membrane response (NMR), are dependent upon the cerebellum, but it is not known how motor memories are stored within the cerebellar circuitry. Localized infusions of the GABA(A) agonist muscimol were used to target putative consolidation processes by producing reversible inactivations after NMR conditioning sessions. Posttraining inactivations of eyeblink control regions in cerebellar cortical lobule HVI completely prevented conditioning from developing over four sessions. In contrast, similar inactivations of eyeblink control regions in the cerebellar nuclei allowed conditioning to develop normally. These findings provide evidence that there are critical posttraining memory consolidation processes for eyeblink conditioning mediated by the cerebellar cortex.     

Memory Consolidation in the Cerebellar Cortex

Several forms of learning, including classical conditioning of the eyeblink, depend upon the cerebellum. In examining mechanisms of eyeblink conditioning in rabbits, reversible inactivations of the control circuitry have begun to dissociate aspects of cerebellar cortical and nuclear function in memory consolidation. It was previously shown that post-training cerebellar cortical, but not nuclear, inactivations with the GABA_A agonist muscimol prevented consolidation but these findings left open the question as to how final memory storage was partitioned across cortical and nuclear levels. Memory consolidation might be essentially cortical and directly disturbed by actions of the muscimol, or it might be nuclear, and sensitive to the raised excitability of the nuclear neurons following the loss of cortical inhibition. To resolve this question, we simultaneously inactivated cerebellar cortical lobule HVI and the anterior interpositus nucleus of rabbits during the post-training period, so protecting the nuclei from disinhibitory effects of cortical inactivation. Consolidation was impaired by these simultaneous inactivations. Because direct application of muscimol to the nuclei alone has no impact upon consolidation, we can conclude that post-training, consolidation processes and memory storage for eyeblink conditioning have critical cerebellar cortical components. The findings are consistent with a recent model that suggests the distribution of learning-related plasticity across cortical and nuclear levels is task-dependent. There can be transfer to nuclear or brainstem levels for control of high-frequency responses but learning with lower frequency response components, such as in eyeblink conditioning, remains mainly dependent upon cortical memory storage.     

Learned movements elicited by direct stimulation of cerebellar mossy fiber afferents

Definitive evidence is presented that the conditioned stimulus (CS) in classical conditioning reaches the cerebellum via the mossy fiber system. Decerebrate ferrets received paired forelimb and periocular stimulation until they responded with blinks to the forelimb stimulus. When direct mossy fiber stimulation was then given, the animals responded with conditioned blinks immediately, that is, without ever having been trained to the mossy fiber stimulation. Antidromic activation was prevented by blocking mossy fibers with lignocaine ventral to the stimulation site. It could be excluded that cerebellar output functioned as the CS. Analysis of latencies suggests that conditioned responses (CRs) are not generated by mossy fiber collaterals to the deep nuclei. Hence, the memory trace is probably located in the cerebellar cortex.     

A specific function of the motor cortex in the reorganization of coordination in motor learning in animals and humans

The findings suggest that a particular function of MCx in motor learning involves suppression of synergies and co-ordination which interferes with acquisition of new motor patterns. Experimental animal models based on inhibition of certain natural synergies or reflexes in the process of learning new co-ordination have been developed where the MCx is responsible for inhibition of natural motor patterns. Following the MCx lesion the natural synergies dominate again and the learned movement cannot be adequately performed. Similar disturbances occur after combined lesions of the premotor and parietal associative cortex or after lesions of the cerebellar nuclei. However, after the associative cortex or cerebellar lesions the recovery of learned co-ordinations is possible. This suggests the inhibition of inappropriate synergies or co-ordination during motor learning is a specific function of the MCx, the latter taking part in organisation of new co-ordination between posture and movement in humans as well.     

Odor fear conditioning modifies piriform cortex local field potentials both during conditioning and during post-conditioning sleep

Background

Sleep plays an active role in memory consolidation. Sleep structure (REM/Slow wave activity [SWS]) can be modified after learning, and in some cortical circuits, sleep is associated with replay of the learned experience. While the majority of this work has focused on neocortical and hippocampal circuits, the olfactory system may offer unique advantages as a model system for exploring sleep and memory, given the short, non-thalamic pathway from nose to primary olfactory (piriform cortex), and rapid cortex-dependent odor learning.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We examined piriform cortical odor responses using local field potentials (LFPs) from freely behaving Long-Evans hooded rats over the sleep-wake cycle, and the neuronal modifications that occurred within the piriform cortex both during and after odor-fear conditioning. We also recorded LFPs from naïve animals to characterize sleep activity in the piriform cortex and to analyze transient odor-evoked cortical responses during different sleep stages. Naïve rats in their home cages spent 40% of their time in SWS, during which the piriform cortex was significantly hypo-responsive to odor stimulation compared to awake and REM sleep states. Rats trained in the paired odor-shock conditioning paradigm developed enhanced conditioned odor evoked gamma frequency activity in the piriform cortex over the course of training compared to pseudo-conditioned rats. Furthermore, conditioned rats spent significantly more time in SWS immediately post-training both compared to pre-training days and compared to pseudo-conditioned rats. The increase in SWS immediately after training significantly correlated with the duration of odor-evoked freezing the following day.

Conclusions/Significance

The rat piriform cortex is hypo-responsive to odors during SWS which accounts for nearly 40% of each 24 hour period. The duration of slow-wave activity in the piriform cortex is enhanced immediately post-conditioning, and this increase is significantly correlated with subsequent memory performance. Together, these results suggest the piriform cortex may go offline during SWS to facilitate consolidation of learned odors with reduced external interference.     

A computational study of synaptic mechanisms of partial memory transfer in cerebellar vestibulo-ocular-reflex learning

There is a debate regarding whether motor memory is stored in the cerebellar cortex, or the cerebellar nuclei, or both. Memory may be acquired in the cortex and then be transferred to the cerebellar nuclei. Based on a dynamical system modeling with a minimal set of variables, we theoretically investigated possible mechanisms of memory transfer and consolidation in the context of vestibulo-ocular reflex learning. We tested different plasticity rules for synapses in the cerebellar nuclei and took robustness of behavior against parameter variation as the criterion of plausibility of a model variant. In the most plausible scenarios, mossy-fiber nucleus-neuron synapses or Purkinje-cell nucleus-neuron synapses are plastic on a slow time scale and store permanent memory, whose content is passed from the cerebellar cortex storing transient memory. In these scenarios, synaptic strengths are potentiated when the mossy-fiber afferents to the nuclei are active during a pause in Purkinje-cell activities. Furthermore, assuming that mossy fibers create a limited variety of signals compared to parallel fibers, our model shows partial memory transfer from the cortex to the nuclei.     

Influence of acute cerebellar lesions on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in cats.

We studied the effect of acute unilateral cerebellar lesions on the cerebello-thalamo-cortical projection in cats. The lesions were classified into two groups according to their extent. In group I the lesion only covered the cerebellar cortex, while in group II both the cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei were removed. Early (short-latency) and late (long-latency) waves, evoked by an electrical stimulation of a forelimb, were collected contralateral to the stimulated leg hemisphere. Pre- and postsurgery recordings from primary and non-primary (motor and parietal) cortices were compared. Cerebellar impairment had a strong influence on discharges of all the considered cortical areas. Early non-primary and primary responses increased in group I and remained unchanged in group II. Late somatosensory evoked potentials components were suppressed in both groups. An inhibitory influence of the cerebellar cortex on the thalamo-cortical projection was confirmed. Changes within the primary sensory cortex may suggest an engagement of that area in the compensation process of cerebellar dysfunction shortly after cerebellar lesion. An alteration in the unaffected hemisphere activation indicate that the spino-cerebellar and cerebello-cortical inputs, responsible for somatosensory evoked potentials generation, are regulated through contralateral and ipsilateral pathways. These pathways are unmasked by cerebellar lesion.     

豚鼠齿状回颗粒细胞在追踪性眨眼条件反应巩固过程中的活动

海马在追踪性眨眼条件反应的巩固过程中发挥重要作用,但解剖学上与其紧密联系的齿状回在此过程中的作用尚不清楚. 实验拟观察齿状回颗粒细胞在追踪性眨眼条件反应巩固过程中的放电活动,阐明齿状回在此海马依赖任务中所发挥的作用. 条件反射组动物 (n=8) 首先接受 200 ms 声音条件刺激,间隔 600 ms 后,再被给予 200 ms 吹气非条件刺激,多次重复配对,建立追踪性眨眼条件反应. 对照组动物 (n=8) 接受非配对出现的上述两种刺激. 采用在体单细胞外记录技术,研究习得条件反应豚鼠的齿状回颗粒细胞在条件反应巩固过程中的放电活动. 结果显示:a. 通过 14 天的训练,条件反射组动物均建立了追踪性眨眼条件反应,而非配对组动物则没有建立该条件反应;b. 齿状回颗粒细胞在追踪性眨眼条件反应的巩固过程中表现出不同的活动模式,如在声音条件刺激、间隔期或吹气非条件刺激出现后活动的增强. 这些结果提示:齿状回可能参与巩固追踪性眨眼条件反应所需的神经环路,其颗粒细胞在追踪性眨眼条件反应巩固过程中可能编码不同的信息.     

Dynamics of elaboration of a conditioned reflex and differentiations in the snail

It is shown that dynamics of percentage of conditioned food refusals by snails Helix pomatia and Helix lucorum is satisfactorily approximated by regression equation of exponential type with included coefficient reflecting the animals state before the beginning of learning. The ability is established of the snails to practically completely differentiate various alimentary conditioned stimuli. The introduction of differentiation always improved the reflex consolidation. Conditioned reactions to differentiation stimulus appeared at the elaboration stage and were absent at the stage of conditioned reflex consolidation.     

Interaction between Purkinje cells and inhibitory interneurons may create adjustable output waveforms to generate timed cerebellar output

We develop a new model that explains how the cerebellum may generate the timing in classical delay eyeblink conditioning. Recent studies show that both Purkinje cells (PCs) and inhibitory interneurons (INs) have parallel signal processing streams with two time scales: an AMPA receptor-mediated fast process and a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-mediated slow process. Moreover, one consistent finding is an increased excitability of PC dendrites (in Larsell's lobule HVI) in animals when they acquire the classical delay eyeblink conditioning naturally, in contrast to in vitro studies, where learning involves long-term depression (LTD). Our model proposes that the delayed response comes from the slow dynamics of mGluR-mediated IP3 activation, and the ensuing calcium concentration change, and not from LTP/LTD. The conditioned stimulus (tone), arriving on the parallel fibers, triggers this slow activation in INs and PC spines. These excitatory (from PC spines) and inhibitory (from INs) signals then interact at the PC dendrites to generate variable waveforms of PC activation. When the unconditioned stimulus (puff), arriving on the climbing fibers, is coupled frequently with this slow activation the waveform is amplified (due to an increased excitability) and leads to a timed pause in the PC population. The disinhibition of deep cerebellar nuclei by this timed pause causes the delayed conditioned response. This suggested PC-IN interaction emphasizes a richer role of the INs in learning and also conforms to the recent evidence that mGluR in the cerebellar cortex may participate in slow motor execution. We show that the suggested mechanism can endow the cerebellar cortex with the versatility to learn almost any temporal pattern, in addition to those that arise in classical conditioning.