WENK Drs. Olton and Wenk are continuing their highly productive investigations of the neurochemical bases of learning and memory. This project focuses particularly on the interactions between two different neurotransmitter systems, and how they interact to influence memory. Of particular interest are acetylcholine and serotonin, both of which have been shown to be profoundly important in different types, and phases, of learning. These investigators are using a combination of behavioral and physiological techniques to study the neurochemical interactions that underlie learned behavior. In addition to contributing to our understanding of the "molecular mechanisms" of learning and memory, these experiments will also address a question of paramount importance: Can these neurochemical interactions be enhanced or impaired to alter recovery of function after one system is damaged? The answer is of extreme significance, for it could help to form the foundation of new treatment strategies for people who have suffered memory and cognition losses as the result of brain damage caused by head injury.
