Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Biophysical Model Of Retraction Motor Neurons And Their Modification By Operant Conditioning, Maria Rasheed
Biophysical Model Of Retraction Motor Neurons And Their Modification By Operant Conditioning, Maria Rasheed
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Operant conditioning (OC) is a form of associative learning in which an animal modifies its behavior based on the consequences that follow that behavior. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms of OC are poorly understood. Insights into the mechanisms of OC can be obtained by studying Aplysia feeding behavior as it can be modified by OC. This behavior is mediated by a central pattern generator (CPG) network in the buccal ganglia that contains a relatively small number of neurons. This CPG generates rhythmic motor patterns (BMPs) that move food into the gut by closing a tongue-like structure (i.e., radula) during …
Analysis Of The Distributed Representation Of Operant Memory In Aplysia, Renan Murillo Costa
Analysis Of The Distributed Representation Of Operant Memory In Aplysia, Renan Murillo Costa
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Operant conditioning, a ubiquitous form of learning in which animals learn from the consequences of behavior, engages a high-dimensional neuronal population space spanning multiple brain regions. A complete characterization of an operant memory remains elusive. Some sites of plasticity participating in the engram underlying an example of operant memory in Aplysia have been previously uncovered. Three studies are described here that sought to draw closer to a thorough characterization of this memory. The first study used a computational model to examine the ways in which sites of plasticity (individually and in combination) contribute to memory expression. Each site of plasticity …
Modification Of Aplysia Feeding Network By L-Dopa And Dopamine-Dependent Learning, Curtis Neveu, Curtis L. Neveu
Modification Of Aplysia Feeding Network By L-Dopa And Dopamine-Dependent Learning, Curtis Neveu, Curtis L. Neveu
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Dopamine (DA) is a ubiquitous neuromodulator of neuronal networks in the animal kingdom and has a well-established role in modulating motor behavior and encoding reward information. Although the effects of DA and DA-dependent learning at the behavioral and molecular levels are well-understood, many questions still remain concerning the effects of DA at the network level. DA-dependent learning effects on a neuronal circuit were examined by measuring the biophysical properties before and after in vitro operant conditioning (OC) of the feeding circuit of Aplysia. OC reduced the excitability of B4 and the B4-to-B51 synaptic connection, with a trend towards an …
Characterization And Reversal Of Doxorubicin-Mediated Changes In Sensory Neurons, Brittany L. Coughlin
Characterization And Reversal Of Doxorubicin-Mediated Changes In Sensory Neurons, Brittany L. Coughlin
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Chemotherapeutic agents impair memory in humans as well as in animal models. Such memory impairments can be persistent, lasting years after exposure to chemotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX), a common chemotherapeutic agent, has been associated with memory impairments in humans and induces memory deficits in rodent models. DOX also impairs serotonin (5-HT)-induced long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) in Aplysia sensorimotor co-cultures, a cellular analog of long-term memory formation. In addition, DOX leads to dynamic activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), consisting of an immediate and a delayed phase of activation, and to transient activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in Aplysia …