A significant percentage of people in the US suffer from behavioral disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and drug addiction, that are effectively diseases of memory dysfunction. Therefore, an understanding of the cell biology of learning and memory should facilitate the development of treatments for these disorders. One of the fundamental forms of associative learning is classical conditioning. During classical conditioning an animal learns to associate a neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) with the delivery of a reinforcing stimulus (unconditioned stimulus). This project will exploit the significant experimental advantages of the marine mollusk Aplysia californica to develop a mechanistic understanding of classical conditioning. This animal has a simple nervous system that is highly suited to electrophysiological, pharmacological, and molecular experimental techniques. The project will focus on a classical conditioning of the defensive withdrawal reflex in Aplysia. This form of learning is mediated by a combination of homosynaptic, NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity and heterosynaptic, serotonergic neuromodulation. The PI hypothesizes that the postsynaptic motor neuron is a major cite of associative interaction between these two processes. The project will investigate the potential postsynaptic interactions between Hebbian and neuromodulatory processes. Toward this end, the PI will perform imaging of calcium in the motor neuron to determine whether intracellular calcium resulting from postsynaptic NMDA receptor activity and calcium released from postsynaptic intracellular stores by serotonin stimulation interact. In addition, the potential rol of postsynaptic calcium- calmodulin kinase II and postsynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors will be examined. The PI will also investigate the role of modulation of postsynaptic AMPA receptor trafficking in classical conditioning by expressing constructs in Aplysia motor neurons that block AMPA receptor trafficking. The proposed studies will use both sensorimotor cocultures and reduced preparations of Aplysia.

Public Health Relevance

Brain disorders related to learning and memory, including Alzheimer's disease, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and drug addiction, afflict a substantial percentage of the population of the United States. The proposed project will use a simple model system to better understand the cellular and molecular bases of classical conditioning, one of the most important forms of learning. The proposed research is expected to facilitate the development of effective treatments for memory-related disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS029563-21
Application #
8845256
Study Section
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Study Section (LAM)
Program Officer
Babcock, Debra J
Project Start
1992-08-03
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2015-05-01
Budget End
2016-04-30
Support Year
21
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Pearce, Kaycey; Cai, Diancai; Roberts, Adam C et al. (2017) Role of protein synthesis and DNA methylation in the consolidation and maintenance of long-term memory in Aplysia. Elife 6:
Hochner, Binyamin; Glanzman, David L (2016) Evolution of highly diverse forms of behavior in molluscs. Curr Biol 26:R965-R971
Roberts, Adam C; Pearce, Kaycey C; Choe, Ronny C et al. (2016) Long-term habituation of the C-start escape response in zebrafish larvae. Neurobiol Learn Mem 134 Pt B:360-8
Chen, Shanping; Cai, Diancai; Pearce, Kaycey et al. (2014) Reinstatement of long-term memory following erasure of its behavioral and synaptic expression in Aplysia. Elife 3:e03896
Crystal, Jonathon D; Glanzman, David L (2013) A biological perspective on memory. Curr Biol 23:R728-31
Glanzman, David L (2010) Common mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in vertebrates and invertebrates. Curr Biol 20:R31-6
Glanzman, David L (2009) Habituation in Aplysia: the Cheshire cat of neurobiology. Neurobiol Learn Mem 92:147-54
Bedi, Supinder S; Cai, Diancai; Glanzman, David L (2008) Effects of axotomy on cultured sensory neurons of Aplysia: long-term injury-induced changes in excitability and morphology are mediated by different signaling pathways. J Neurophysiol 100:3209-24
Jami, Shekib A; Wright, William G; Glanzman, David L (2007) Differential classical conditioning of the gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia recruits both NMDA receptor-dependent enhancement and NMDA receptor-dependent depression of the reflex. J Neurosci 27:3064-8
Glanzman, David L (2006) The cellular mechanisms of learning in Aplysia: of blind men and elephants. Biol Bull 210:271-9

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