Brainstem cholinergic modulation of the limbic learning circuit

Training-induced neuronal activity (TIA) develops in the limbic (anterior and medial dorsal) thalamic nuclei and cingulate cortex as rabbits learned to locomote after a foot-shock predictive tone (CS+) and to ignore another tone (CS$-$) not predictive of shock (Gabriel et al., Behav. Brain Res., 1991, 46, 175-185). This study examined a role of cholinergic afferents to the anterior ventral (AV) thalamic nucleus in generation of excitatory (increase in CS-elicited neuronal activity during learning relative to before training) and discriminative (development of greater discharges in response to the CS+ than to the CS$-$) TIA. In Experiment 1, local injections of a cholinergic muscarinic receptor blocker, scopolamine, in the AV nucleus reduced avoidance responding and the amplitude of cingulate cortical excitatory TIA in rabbits trained to asymptotic performance. In Experiment 2, bilateral lesions in the brainstem laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) and pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nuclei, a primary source of AV thalamic cholinergic afferents, retarded acquisition of the avoidance response and attenuated excitatory TIA in the AV nucleus and posterior cingulate cortex during late stages of training. Experiment 3 demonstrated late-developing excitatory TIA in the LDT and PPT nuclei, as well as in the lateral mamillary and supramamillary nuclei. However, TIA in these areas could not account for all properties of excitatory TIA in the anterior thalamus.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Kubota, Yasuo

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gabriel, Michael

• Biology, Neuroscience
• Psychology, Psychobiology
• Psychology, Physiological

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1996 Kubota, Yasuo

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

9780591088113
AAI9702568
(UMI)AAI9702568

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/20310