Largely on the basis of lesion studies, different neural systems appear to be responsible for learning and remembering different classes of information. However, most learning experiences contain information that crosses the classes served by these distinct neural systems. The main goal of this project is to determine whether modulators of memory processing regulate the relative participation of different brain systems during learning, thereby regulating what different rats learn in those situations. The proposed experiments use direct brain injections of glucose and morphine, together with in vivo microdialysis/HPLC measures of acetylcholine output, to study learning and memory in rodents. Three tasks and three brain areas will be tested: conditioned place preference learning, amygdala-dependent; place learning, hippocampus-dependent; response learning, striatum-dependent. The first set of experiments uses direct injections of glucose and morphine, treatments which enhance and impair learning and memory processes where injected. Because each of the anatomical systems can at times interfere with learning by another system, some predictions include apparently paradoxical impairment and enhancement of learning by appropriate injections of glucose and morphine. The second set of experiments determines whether training-related increases in acetylcholine are restricted to those neural systems activated by different training procedures. Included is one task in which rats can learn using either of two strategies. Because each strategy is likely to require major participation by a different neural system, measures of acetylcholine output in each system during training might reveal what an individual rat is learning, i.e. which strategy it employs during learning. The third set of experiments determines whether glucose enhancement of learning and memory is accompanied by augmented acetylcholine release only in the neural system activated by specific training. The findings of these experiments may lead to a new view of how modulators of memory regulate the relative participation of different memory systems during learning.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS032914-09
Application #
6539787
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-7 (01))
Program Officer
Edwards, Emmeline
Project Start
1999-06-01
Project End
2005-06-30
Budget Start
2002-07-01
Budget End
2005-06-30
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$183,811
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041544081
City
Champaign
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
61820
Chang, Qing; Gold, Paul E (2008) Age-related changes in memory and in acetylcholine functions in the hippocampus in the Ts65Dn mouse, a model of Down syndrome. Neurobiol Learn Mem 89:167-77
McNay, Ewan C; Canal, Clinton E; Sherwin, Robert S et al. (2006) Modulation of memory with septal injections of morphine and glucose: effects on extracellular glucose levels in the hippocampus. Physiol Behav 87:298-303
Pych, Jason C; Kim, Munsoo; Gold, Paul E (2006) Effects of injections of glucose into the dorsal striatum on learning of place and response mazes. Behav Brain Res 167:373-8
Canal, Clinton E; McNay, Ewan C; Gold, Paul E (2005) Increases in extracellular fluid glucose levels in the rat hippocampus following an anesthetic dose of pentobarbital or ketamine-xylazine: an in vivo microdialysis study. Physiol Behav 84:245-50
Canal, Clinton E; Stutz, Sonja J; Gold, Paul E (2005) Glucose injections into the dorsal hippocampus or dorsolateral striatum of rats prior to T-maze training: modulation of learning rates and strategy selection. Learn Mem 12:367-74
Salinas, Juan A; Gold, Paul E (2005) Glucose regulation of memory for reward reduction in young and aged rats. Neurobiol Aging 26:45-52
Chang, Qing; Gold, Paul E (2004) Impaired and spared cholinergic functions in the hippocampus after lesions of the medial septum/vertical limb of the diagonal band with 192 IgG-saporin. Hippocampus 14:170-9
Chang, Qing; Gold, Paul E (2004) Inactivation of dorsolateral striatum impairs acquisition of response learning in cue-deficient, but not cue-available, conditions. Behav Neurosci 118:383-8
Gold, Paul E (2004) Coordination of multiple memory systems. Neurobiol Learn Mem 82:230-42
Chang, Qing; Gold, Paul E (2003) Intra-hippocampal lidocaine injections impair acquisition of a place task and facilitate acquisition of a response task in rats. Behav Brain Res 144:19-24

Showing the most recent 10 out of 54 publications