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Yan H, Han Y, Shan X, Li H, Liu F, Xie G, Li P, Guo W. Altered resting-state cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity in patients with panic disorder before and after treatment. Neuropharmacology 2023; 240:109692. [PMID: 37652260 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the functional connectivity (FC) between the cerebellum and intrinsic cerebral networks in patients with panic disorder (PD), and to observe changes in the cerebellar-cerebral FC following pharmacotherapy. Fifty-four patients with PD and 54 healthy controls (HCs) underwent clinical assessments and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans before and after a 5-week paroxetine treatment. Seed-based cerebellar-cerebral FC was compared between the PD and HC groups, as well as between patients with PD before and after treatment. Additionally, the correlations between FC and clinical features of PD were analyzed. Compared to HCs, patients with PD had altered cerebellar-cerebral FC in the default mode, affective-limbic, and sensorimotor networks. Moreover, a negative correlation between cerebellar-insula disconnection and the severity of depressive symptoms in patients with PD (Pearson correlation, r = -0.424, p = 0.001, Bonferroni corrected) was found. After treatment, most of the enhanced FCs observed in patients with PD at baseline returned to levels similar to those observed in HCs. However, the reduced FC at baseline did not significantly change after treatment. The findings suggest that patients with PD have specific deficits in resting-state cerebellar-cerebral FC and that paroxetine may improve PD by restoring the balance of cerebellar-cerebral FC. These findings emphasize the crucial involvement of cerebellar-cerebral FC in the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying PD and in the potential pharmacological mechanisms of paroxetine for treating PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haohao Yan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Yiding Han
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Shan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Huabing Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guojun Xie
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, 528000, Guangdong, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, 161006, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
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2
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Kirschhock ME, Nieder A. Association neurons in the crow telencephalon link visual signs to numerical values. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2313923120. [PMID: 37903264 PMCID: PMC10636302 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313923120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animals can associate signs with numerical values and use these signs in a goal-directed way during task performance. However, the neuronal basis of this semantic association has only rarely been investigated, and so far only in primates. How mechanisms of number associations are implemented in the distinctly evolved brains of other animal taxa such as birds is currently unknown. Here, we explored this semantic number-sign mapping by recording single-neuron activity in the crows' nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a brain structure critically involved in avian numerical cognition. Crows were trained to associate visual shapes with varying numbers of items in a number production task. The responses of many NCL neurons during stimulus presentation reflected the numerical values associated with visual shapes in a behaviorally relevant way. Consistent with the crow's better behavioral performance with signs, neuronal representations of numerical values extracted from shapes were more selective compared to those from dot arrays. The existence of number association neurons in crows points to a phylogenetic preadaptation of the brains of cognitively advanced vertebrates to link visual shapes with numerical meaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian E. Kirschhock
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen72076, Germany
| | - Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen72076, Germany
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3
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Fujita T, Aoki N, Mori C, Homma KJ, Yamaguchi S. Molecular biology of serotonergic systems in avian brains. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1226645. [PMID: 37538316 PMCID: PMC10394247 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1226645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a phylogenetically conserved neurotransmitter and modulator. Neurons utilizing serotonin have been identified in the central nervous systems of all vertebrates. In the central serotonergic system of vertebrate species examined so far, serotonergic neurons have been confirmed to exist in clusters in the brainstem. Although many serotonin-regulated cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functions have been elucidated in mammals, equivalents remain poorly understood in non-mammalian vertebrates. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge of the anatomical organization and molecular features of the avian central serotonergic system. In addition, selected key functions of serotonin are briefly reviewed. Gene association studies between serotonergic system related genes and behaviors in birds have elucidated that the serotonergic system is involved in the regulation of behavior in birds similar to that observed in mammals. The widespread distribution of serotonergic modulation in the central nervous system and the evolutionary conservation of the serotonergic system provide a strong foundation for understanding and comparing the evolutionary continuity of neural circuits controlling corresponding brain functions within vertebrates. The main focus of this review is the chicken brain, with this type of poultry used as a model bird. The chicken is widely used not only as a model for answering questions in developmental biology and as a model for agriculturally useful breeding, but also in research relating to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional processes. In addition to a wealth of prior research on the projection relationships of avian brain regions, detailed subdivision similarities between avian and mammalian brains have recently been identified. Therefore, identifying the neural circuits modulated by the serotonergic system in avian brains may provide an interesting opportunity for detailed comparative studies of the function of serotonergic systems in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiyuki Fujita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoya Aoki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chihiro Mori
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi J. Homma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Yamaguchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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4
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Donoso JR, Packheiser J, Pusch R, Lederer Z, Walther T, Uengoer M, Lachnit H, Güntürkün O, Cheng S. Emergence of complex dynamics of choice due to repeated exposures to extinction learning. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:1279-1297. [PMID: 33978856 PMCID: PMC8492564 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01521-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Extinction learning, the process of ceasing an acquired behavior in response to altered reinforcement contingencies, is not only essential for survival in a changing environment, but also plays a fundamental role in the treatment of pathological behaviors. During therapy and other forms of training involving extinction, subjects are typically exposed to several sessions with a similar structure. The effects of this repeated exposure are not well understood. Here, we studied the behavior of pigeons across several sessions of a discrimination-learning task in context A, extinction in context B, and a return to context A to test the context-dependent return of the learned responses (ABA renewal). By focusing on individual learning curves across animals, we uncovered a session-dependent variability of behavior: (1) during extinction, pigeons preferred the unrewarded alternative choice in one-third of the sessions, predominantly during the first one. (2) In later sessions, abrupt transitions of behavior at the onset of context B emerged, and (3) the renewal effect decayed as sessions progressed. We show that the observed results can be parsimoniously accounted for by a computational model based only on associative learning between stimuli and actions. Our work thus demonstrates the critical importance of studying the trial-by-trial dynamics of learning in individual sessions, and the power of “simple” associative learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- José R Donoso
- Institute for Neural Computation, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julian Packheiser
- Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Roland Pusch
- Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Zhiyin Lederer
- Institute for Neural Computation, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Walther
- Institute for Neural Computation, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Metin Uengoer
- Department of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Harald Lachnit
- Department of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sen Cheng
- Institute for Neural Computation, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
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Neural Code of Motor Planning and Execution during Goal-Directed Movements in Crows. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4060-4072. [PMID: 33608384 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0739-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The planning and execution of head-beak movements are vital components of bird behavior. They require integration of sensory input and internal processes with goal-directed motor output. Despite its relevance, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying action planning and execution outside of the song system are largely unknown. We recorded single-neuron activity from the associative endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) of two male carrion crows (Corvus corone) trained to plan and execute head-beak movements in a spatial delayed response task. The crows were instructed to plan an impending movement toward one of eight possible targets on the left or right side of a touchscreen. In a fraction of trials, the crows were prompted to plan a movement toward a self-chosen target. NCL neurons signaled the impending motion direction in instructed trials. Tuned neuronal activity during motor planning categorically represented the target side, but also specific target locations. As a marker of intentional movement preparation, neuronal activity reliably predicted both target side and specific target location when the crows were free to select a target. In addition, NCL neurons were tuned to specific target locations during movement execution. A subset of neurons was tuned during both planning and execution period; these neurons experienced a sharpening of spatial tuning with the transition from planning to execution. These results show that the avian NCL not only represents high-level sensory and cognitive task components, but also transforms behaviorally-relevant information into dynamic action plans and motor execution during the volitional perception-action cycle of birds.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Corvid songbirds have become exciting new models for understanding complex cognitive behavior. As a key neural underpinning, the endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) represents sensory and memory-related task components. How such representations are converted into goal-directed motor output remained unknown. In crows, we report that NCL neurons are involved in the planning and execution of goal-directed movements. NCL neurons prospectively signaled motion directions in instructed trials, but also when the crows were free to choose a target. NCL neurons showed a target-specific sharpening of tuning with the transition from the planning to the execution period. Thus, the avian NCL not only represents high-level sensory and cognitive task components, but also transforms relevant information into action plans and motor execution.
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6
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Trial-by-trial dynamics of reward prediction error-associated signals during extinction learning and renewal. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 197:101901. [PMID: 32846162 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Reward prediction errors (RPEs) have been suggested to drive associative learning processes, but their precise temporal dynamics at the single-neuron level remain elusive. Here, we studied the neural correlates of RPEs, focusing on their trial-by-trial dynamics during an operant extinction learning paradigm. Within a single behavioral session, pigeons went through acquisition, extinction and renewal - the context-dependent response recovery after extinction. We recorded single units from the avian prefrontal cortex analogue, the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) and found that the omission of reward during extinction led to a peak of population activity that moved backwards in time as trials progressed. The chronological order of these signal changes during the progress of learning was indicative of temporal shifts of RPE signals that started during reward omission and then moved backwards to the presentation of the conditioned stimulus. Switches from operant choices to avoidance behavior (and vice versa) coincided with changes in population activity during the animals' decision-making. On the single unit level, we found more diverse patterns where some neurons' activity correlated with RPE signals whereas others correlated with the absolute value during the outcome period. Finally, we demonstrated that mere sensory contextual changes during the renewal test were sufficient to elicit signals likely associated with RPEs. Thus, RPEs are truly expectancy-driven since they can be elicited by changes in reward expectation, without an actual change in the quality or quantity of reward.
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7
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von Eugen K, Tabrik S, Güntürkün O, Ströckens F. A comparative analysis of the dopaminergic innervation of the executive caudal nidopallium in pigeon, chicken, zebra finch, and carrion crow. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:2929-2955. [PMID: 32020608 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the long, separate evolutionary history of birds and mammals, both lineages developed a rich behavioral repertoire of remarkably similar executive control generated by distinctly different brains. The seat for executive functioning in birds is the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) and the mammalian equivalent is known as the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Both are densely innervated by dopaminergic fibers, and are an integration center of sensory input and motor output. Whereas the variation of the PFC has been well documented in different mammalian orders, we know very little about the NCL across the avian clade. In order to investigate whether this structure adheres to species-specific variations, this study aimed to describe the trajectory of the NCL in pigeon, chicken, carrion crow and zebra finch. We employed immunohistochemistry to map dopaminergic innervation, and executed a Gallyas stain to visualize the dorsal arcopallial tract that runs between the NCL and the arcopallium. Our analysis showed that whereas the trajectory of the NCL in the chicken is highly comparable to the pigeon, the two Passeriformes show a strikingly different pattern. In both carrion crow and zebra finch, we identified four different subareas of high dopaminergic innervation that span the entire caudal forebrain. Based on their sensory input, motor output, and involvement in dopamine-related cognitive control of the delineated areas here, we propose that at least three morphologically different subareas constitute the NCL in these songbirds. Thus, our study shows that comparable to the PFC in mammals, the NCL in birds varies considerably across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaya von Eugen
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sepideh Tabrik
- Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil GmbH, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Felix Ströckens
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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8
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Fitzpatrick CJ, Geary T, Creeden JF, Morrow JD. Sign-tracking behavior is difficult to extinguish and resistant to multiple cognitive enhancers. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 163:107045. [PMID: 31319166 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.107045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The attribution of incentive-motivational value to drug-related cues underlies relapse and craving in drug addiction. One method of addiction treatment, cue-exposure therapy, utilizes repeated presentations of drug-related cues in the absence of drug (i.e., extinction learning); however, its efficacy has been limited due to an incomplete understanding of extinction and relapse processes after cues have been imbued with incentive-motivational value. To investigate this, we used a Pavlovian conditioned approach procedure to screen for rats that attribute incentive-motivational value to reward-related cues (sign-trackers; STs) or those that do not (goal-trackers; GTs). In Experiment 1, rats underwent Pavlovian extinction followed by reinstatement and spontaneous recovery tests. For comparison, a separate group of rats underwent PCA training followed by operant conditioning, extinction, and tests of reinstatement and spontaneous recovery. In Experiment 2, three cognitive enhancers (sodium butyrate, D-cycloserine, and fibroblast growth factor 2) were administered following extinction training to facilitate extinction learning. STs but not GTs displayed enduring resistance to Pavlovian, but not operant, extinction and were more susceptible to spontaneous recovery. In addition, none of the cognitive enhancers tested affected extinction learning. These results expand our understanding of extinction learning by demonstrating that there is individual variation in extinction and relapse processes and highlight potential difficulties in applying extinction-based therapies to drug addiction treatment in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Trevor Geary
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justin F Creeden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jonathan D Morrow
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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9
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Gao M, Pusch R, Güntürkün O. Blocking NMDA-Receptors in the Pigeon’s Medial Striatum Impairs Extinction Acquisition and Induces a Motoric Disinhibition in an Appetitive Classical Conditioning Paradigm. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:153. [PMID: 31354445 PMCID: PMC6630161 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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10
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Packheiser J, Güntürkün O, Pusch R. Renewal of extinguished behavior in pigeons (Columba livia) does not require memory consolidation of acquisition or extinction in a free-operant appetitive conditioning paradigm. Behav Brain Res 2019; 370:111947. [PMID: 31102600 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.111947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Extinction learning is a fundamental capacity for adaptive and flexible behavior. As extinguished conditioned responding is prone to relapse under certain conditions, the necessity of memory consolidation for recovery phenomena to occur has been highlighted recently. Several studies have demonstrated that both acquisition and extinction training need to be properly consolidated for a relapse of the original acquired memory trace to occur. Does this imply that extinguished responses cannot relapse before memory consolidation? To answer this question, we investigated the renewal effect subsequent to an immediate or a delayed (24 h) extinction in a discriminative operant conditioning paradigm. In three different experiments, we could show (1) that acquisition learning does not need to be long-term consolidated for the occurrence of renewal, (2) that the offset of extinction training is a reliable marker for extinction recall in a free-operant extinction learning paradigm where organisms undergo consecutive acquisition training, extinction training as well as testing of conditioned responding and (3), that immediate and long-term consolidated renewal do not demonstrate any qualitative difference in terms of the behavioral output. Our results indicate on the behavioral level that the inhibitory nature of extinction is already present in free-operant learning paradigms and that it does not seem to be affected by the absence of long-term memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Packheiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Roland Pusch
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
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11
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Transient inactivation of the visual-associative nidopallium frontolaterale (NFL) impairs extinction learning and context encoding in pigeons. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 158:50-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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12
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Veit L, Hartmann K, Nieder A. Spatially Tuned Neurons in Corvid Nidopallium Caudolaterale Signal Target Position During Visual Search. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:1103-1112. [PMID: 26656724 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The avian pallial endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) shows important similarities to mammalian prefrontal cortex in connectivity, dopamine neurochemistry, and function. Neuronal processing in NCL has been studied with respect to sensory, cognitive, and reward information, but little is known about its role in more direct control of motor behavior. We investigated NCL activity during the choice period of a delayed match-to-sample task, as 2 trained crows searched and selected a previously remembered visual target among an array of 4 pictures. The crows exhibited behavioral response patterns consistent with serial visual search. Many single NCL neurons were spatially tuned to specific target positions during visual search and directed motor behavior. Moreover, single NCL neurons dynamically changed their tuning properties to represent different behaviorally relevant task variables across the trial. In consecutive task periods, single neurons responded to visual stimuli, stored stimulus information in working memory, guided goal-directed behavior depending on the remembered target picture, and encoded trial outcomes. This flexible encoding of all task-relevant aspects in the executive control of goal-directed behavior represents a striking convergence to neuronal encoding in primate prefrontal cortex. These data highlight key properties of associative endbrain areas underlying flexible cognitive behavior in corvids and primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Veit
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Konstantin Hartmann
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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13
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NMDA receptors in the avian amygdala and the premotor arcopallium mediate distinct aspects of appetitive extinction learning. Behav Brain Res 2018; 343:71-82. [PMID: 29378293 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Extinction learning is an essential mechanism that enables constant adaptation to ever-changing environmental conditions. The underlying neural circuit is mostly studied with rodent models using auditory cued fear conditioning. In order to uncover the variant and the invariant neural properties of extinction learning, we adopted pigeons as an animal model in an appetitive sign-tracking paradigm. The animals firstly learned to respond to two conditioned stimuli in two different contexts (CS-1 in context A and CS-2 in context B), before conditioned responses to the stimuli were extinguished in the opposite contexts (CS-1 in context B and CS-2 in context A). Subsequently, responding to both stimuli was tested in both contexts. Prior to extinction training, we locally injected the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist 2-Amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) in either the amygdala or the (pre)motor arcopallium to investigate their involvement in extinction learning. Our findings suggest that the encoding of extinction memory required the activation of amygdala, as visible by an impairment of extinction acquisition by concurrent inactivation of local NMDARs. In contrast, consolidation and subsequent retrieval of extinction memory recruited the (pre)motor arcopallium. Also, the inactivation of arcopallial NMDARs induced a general motoric slowing during extinction training. Thus, our results reveal a double dissociation between arcopallium and amygdala with respect to acquisition and consolidation of extinction, respectively. Our study therefore provides new insights on the two key components of the avian extinction network and their resemblance to the data obtained from mammals, possibly indicating a shared neural mechanism underlying extinction learning shaped by evolution.
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14
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Starosta S, Bartetzko I, Stüttgen MC, Güntürkün O. Integration of contextual cues into memory depends on "prefrontal" N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 144:19-26. [PMID: 28559170 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Every learning event is embedded in a context, but not always does the context become an integral part of the memory; however, for extinction learning it usually does, resulting in context-specific conditioned responding. The neuronal mechanisms underlying contextual control have been mainly investigated for Pavlovian fear extinction with a focus on hippocampal structures. However, the initial acquisition of novel responses can be subject to contextual control as well, although the neuronal mechanisms are mostly unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that contextual control of acquisition depends on glutamatergic transmission underlying executive functions in forebrain areas, e.g. by shifting attention to critical cues. Thus, we antagonized N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors with 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (AP5) in the pigeon nidopallium caudolaterale, the functional analogue of mammalian prefrontal cortex, during the concomitant acquisition and extinction of conditioned responding to two different stimuli. This paradigm has previously been shown to lead to contextual control over extinguished as well as non-extinguished responding. NMDA receptor blockade resulted in an impairment of extinction learning, but left the acquisition of responses to a novel stimulus unaffected. Critically, when responses were tested in a different context in the retrieval phase, we observed that NMDA receptor blockade led to the abolishment of contextual control over acquisition performance. This result is predicted by a model describing response inclination as the product of associative strength and contextual gain. In this model, learning under AP5 leads to a change in the contextual gain on the learned association, possibly via the modulation of attentional mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Starosta
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Isabelle Bartetzko
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Maik C Stüttgen
- Institute of Pathophysiology & Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Neurons in the pigeon caudolateral nidopallium differentiate Pavlovian conditioned stimuli but not their associated reward value in a sign-tracking paradigm. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35469. [PMID: 27762287 PMCID: PMC5071861 DOI: 10.1038/srep35469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals exploit visual information to identify objects, form stimulus-reward associations, and prepare appropriate behavioral responses. The nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), an associative region of the avian endbrain, contains neurons exhibiting prominent response modulation during presentation of reward-predicting visual stimuli, but it is unclear whether neural activity represents valuation signals, stimulus properties, or sensorimotor contingencies. To test the hypothesis that NCL neurons represent stimulus value, we subjected pigeons to a Pavlovian sign-tracking paradigm in which visual cues predicted rewards differing in magnitude (large vs. small) and delay to presentation (short vs. long). Subjects' strength of conditioned responding to visual cues reliably differentiated between predicted reward types and thus indexed valuation. The majority of NCL neurons discriminated between visual cues, with discriminability peaking shortly after stimulus onset and being maintained at lower levels throughout the stimulus presentation period. However, while some cells' firing rates correlated with reward value, such neurons were not more frequent than expected by chance. Instead, neurons formed discernible clusters which differed in their preferred visual cue. We propose that this activity pattern constitutes a prerequisite for using visual information in more complex situations e.g. requiring value-based choices.
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16
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Starosta S, Uengoer M, Bartetzko I, Lucke S, Güntürkün O, Stüttgen MC. Context specificity of both acquisition and extinction of a Pavlovian conditioned response. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:639-643. [PMID: 27918284 PMCID: PMC5066607 DOI: 10.1101/lm.043075.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
It is widely held that the extinction of a conditioned response is more context specific than its initial acquisition. One proposed explanation is that context serves to disambiguate the meaning of a stimulus. Using a procedure that equated the learning histories of the contexts, we show that the memory of an appetitive Pavlovian association can be highly context specific despite being unambiguous. This result is inconsistent with predictions of the Rescorla–Wagner model of learning but in line with configural accounts of contextual control of behavior. We propose an explanatory model in which context serves to modulate the gain of associative strength and which expands upon the configural idea of unitary representations of context and conditioned stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Starosta
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Metin Uengoer
- Faculty of Psychology, Section for Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Isabelle Bartetzko
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Sara Lucke
- Faculty of Psychology, Section for Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Maik C Stüttgen
- Institute of Pathophysiology & Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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17
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Tahamtani FM, Nordgreen J, Brantsæter M, Østby GC, Nordquist RE, Janczak AM. Does Early Environmental Complexity Influence Tyrosine Hydroxylase in the Chicken Hippocampus and "Prefrontal" Caudolateral Nidopallium? Front Vet Sci 2016; 3:8. [PMID: 26904550 PMCID: PMC4749677 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult chickens, the housing system influences hippocampal morphology and neurochemistry. However, no work has been done investigating the effects of the early life environment on chicken brain development. In the present study, we reared 67 commercial laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in two environments that differed in the degree of complexity (aviary or cage system). These two groups were further divided into two age groups. At 20 weeks of age, 18 aviary-reared birds and 15 cage-reared birds were humanely euthanized and their brains dissected. At 24 weeks of age, a further 16 brains from aviary-reared birds and 18 brains from cage-reared birds were collected. These brains were prepared for immunohistochemical detection of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of dopamine, in the hippocampus and the caudolateral nidopallium (NCL). There were no differences between the treatment groups in TH staining intensity in the hippocampus or the NCL. In the medial hippocampus, the right hemisphere had higher TH staining intensity compared to the left hemisphere. The opposite was true for the NCL, with the left hemisphere being more strongly stained compared to the right hemisphere. The present study supports the notion that the hippocampus is functionally lateralized, and our findings add to the body of knowledge on adult neural plasticity of the avian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda M Tahamtani
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Oslo , Norway
| | - Janicke Nordgreen
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Oslo , Norway
| | - Margrethe Brantsæter
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Oslo , Norway
| | - Gunn C Østby
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Oslo , Norway
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Emotion and Cognition Research Program, Department of Farm Animal Health, Utrecht University , Utrecht , Netherlands
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Oslo , Norway
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18
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de Oliveira DR, Zamberlam CR, Rêgo GM, Cavalheiro A, Cerutti JM, Cerutti SM. Effects of a Flavonoid-Rich Fraction on the Acquisition and Extinction of Fear Memory: Pharmacological and Molecular Approaches. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 9:345. [PMID: 26778988 PMCID: PMC4700274 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of flavonoids have been correlated with their ability to modulate the glutamatergic, serotoninergic, and GABAergic neurotransmission; the major targets of these substances are N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDARs), serotonin type1A receptor (5-HT1ARs), and the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs). Several studies showed that these receptors are involved in the acquisition and extinction of fear memory. This study assessed the effects of treatment prior to conditioning with a flavonoid-rich fraction from the stem bark of Erythrina falcata (FfB) on the acquisition and extinction of the conditioned suppression following pharmacological manipulations and on gene expression in the dorsal hippocampus (DH). Adult male Wistar rats were treated before conditioned fear with FfB, vehicle, an agonist or antagonist of the 5-HT1AR, GABAARs or the GluN2B-NMDAR or one of these antagonists before FfB treatment. The effects of these treatments on fear memory retrieval, extinction training and extinction retrieval were evaluated at 48, 72, and 98 h after conditioning, respectively. We found that activation of GABAARs and inactivation of GluN2B-NMDARs play important roles in the acquisition of lick response suppression. FfB reversed the effect of blocking GluN2B-NMDARs on the conditioned fear and induced the spontaneous recovery. Blocking the 5-HT1AR and the GluN2B-NMDAR before FfB treatment seemed to be associated with weakening of the spontaneous recovery. Expression of analysis of DH samples via qPCR showed that FfB treatment resulted in the overexpression of Htr1a, Grin2a, Gabra5, and Erk2 after the retention test and of Htr1a and Erk2 after the extinction retention test. Moreover, blocking the 5-HT1ARs and the GluN2B-NMDARs before FfB treatment resulted in reduced Htr1a and Grin2b expression after the retention test, but played a distinct role in Grin2a and Erk2 expression, according session evaluated. We show for the first time that the serotoninergic and glutamatergic receptors are important targets for the effect of FfB on the conditioned fear and spontaneous recovery, in which the ERK signaling pathway appears to be modulated. Further, these results provide important information regarding the role of the DH in conditioned suppression. Taken together, our data suggest that FfB represents a potential therapy for preventing or treating memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela R de Oliveira
- Cellular and Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biological Science, Universidade Federal de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil; Genetic Bases of Thyroid Tumor Laboratory, Division of Genetics, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudia R Zamberlam
- Cellular and Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biological Science, Universidade Federal de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil; Genetic Bases of Thyroid Tumor Laboratory, Division of Genetics, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gizelda M Rêgo
- Department of Forestry Colombo, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation Colombo, Brazil
| | - Alberto Cavalheiro
- Institute of Chemistry, Nuclei of Bioassay, Biosynthesis and Ecophysiology of Natural Products, São Paulo State University, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Janete M Cerutti
- Genetic Bases of Thyroid Tumor Laboratory, Division of Genetics, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Suzete M Cerutti
- Cellular and Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biological Science, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
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Lengersdorf D, Marks D, Uengoer M, Stüttgen MC, Güntürkün O. Blocking NMDA-receptors in the pigeon's "prefrontal" caudal nidopallium impairs appetitive extinction learning in a sign-tracking paradigm. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:85. [PMID: 25918502 PMCID: PMC4394694 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extinction learning provides the ability to flexibly adapt to new contingencies by learning to inhibit previously acquired associations in a context-dependent manner. The neural networks underlying extinction learning were mostly studied in rodents using fear extinction paradigms. To uncover invariant properties of the neural basis of extinction learning, we employ pigeons as a model system. Since the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mammals is a key structure for extinction learning, we assessed the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), the avian functional equivalent of mammalian PFC. Since NMDARs in PFC have been shown to be relevant for extinction learning, we locally antagonized NMDARs through 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerianacid (APV) during extinction learning in a within-subject sign-tracking ABA-renewal paradigm. APV-injection slowed down extinction learning and in addition also caused a disinhibition of responding to a continuously reinforced control stimulus. In subsequent retrieval sessions, spontaneous recovery was increased while ABA renewal was unaffected. The effect of APV resembles that observed in studies of fear extinction with rodents, suggesting common neural substrates of extinction under both appetitive and aversive conditions and highlighting the similarity of mammalian PFC and the avian caudal nidopallium despite 300 million years of independent evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lengersdorf
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
| | - David Marks
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
| | - Metin Uengoer
- Department of Psychology, Philipps-University MarburgMarburg, Germany
| | - Maik C. Stüttgen
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg UniversityMainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg UniversityMainz, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
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André MAE, Güntürkün O, Manahan-Vaughan D. The metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGlu5, is required for extinction learning that occurs in the absence of a context change. Hippocampus 2015; 25:149-58. [PMID: 25160592 PMCID: PMC4322473 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors and, in particular, mGlu5 are crucially involved in multiple forms of synaptic plasticity that are believed to underlie explicit memory. MGlu5 is also required for information transfer through neuronal oscillations and for spatial memory. Furthermore, mGlu5 is involved in extinction of implicit forms of learning. This places this receptor in a unique position with regard to information encoding. Here, we explored the role of this receptor in context-dependent extinction learning under constant, or changed, contextual conditions. Animals were trained over 3 days to take a left turn under 25% reward probability in a T-maze with a distinct floor pattern (Context A). On Day 4, they experienced either a floor pattern change (Context B) or the same floor pattern (Context A) in the absence of reward. After acquisition of the task, the animals were returned to the maze once more on Day 5 (Context A, no reward). Treatment with the mGlu5 antagonist, 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine, before maze exposure on Day 4 completely inhibited extinction learning in the AAA paradigm but had no effect in the ABA paradigm. A subsequent return to the original context (A, on Day 5) revealed successful extinction in the AAA paradigm, but impairment of extinction in the ABA paradigm. These data support that although extinction learning in a new context is unaffected by mGlu5 antagonism, extinction of the consolidated context is impaired. This suggests that mGlu5 is intrinsically involved in enabling learning that once-relevant information is no longer valid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Agnes Emma André
- International Graduate School for Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- International Graduate School for Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- International Graduate School for Neuroscience, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University BochumBochum, Germany
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21
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Lengersdorf D, Pusch R, Güntürkün O, Stüttgen MC. Neurons in the pigeon nidopallium caudolaterale signal the selection and execution of perceptual decisions. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:3316-27. [PMID: 25146245 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems provide organisms with information on the current status of the environment, thus enabling adaptive behavior. The neural mechanisms by which sensory information is exploited for action selection are typically studied with mammalian subjects performing perceptual decision-making tasks, and most of what is known about these mechanisms at the single-neuron level is derived from cortical recordings in behaving monkeys. To explore the generality of neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision making across species, we recorded single-neuron activity in the pigeon nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a non-laminated associative forebrain structure thought to be functionally equivalent to mammalian prefrontal cortex, while subjects performed a visual categorisation task. We found that, whereas the majority of NCL neurons unspecifically upregulated or downregulated activity during stimulus presentation, ~20% of neurons exhibited differential activity for the sample stimuli and predicted upcoming choices. Moreover, neural activity in these neurons was ramping up during stimulus presentation and remained elevated until a choice was initiated, a response pattern similar to that found in monkey prefrontal and parietal cortices in saccadic choice tasks. In addition, many NCL neurons coded for movement direction during choice execution and differentiated between choice outcomes (reward and punishment). Taken together, our results implicate the NCL in the selection and execution of operant responses, an interpretation resonating well with the results of previous lesion studies. The resemblance of the response patterns of NCL neurons to those observed in mammalian cortex suggests that, despite differing neural architectures, mechanisms for perceptual decision making are similar across classes of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lengersdorf
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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22
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Reinecke A, Thilo K, Filippini N, Croft A, Harmer CJ. Predicting rapid response to cognitive-behavioural treatment for panic disorder: the role of hippocampus, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Behav Res Ther 2014; 62:120-8. [PMID: 25156399 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Revised: 07/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective first-line intervention for anxiety disorders, treatments remain long and cost-intensive, difficult to access, and a subgroup of patients fails to show any benefits at all. This study aimed to identify functional and structural brain markers that predict a rapid response to CBT. Such knowledge will be important to establish the mechanisms underlying successful treatment and to develop more effective, shorter interventions. Fourteen unmedicated patients with panic disorder underwent 3 T functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before receiving four sessions of exposure-based CBT. Symptom severity was measured before and after treatment. During functional MRI, patients performed an emotion regulation task, either viewing negative images naturally, or intentionally down-regulating negative affect by using previously taught strategies of cognitive reappraisal. Structural MRI images were analysed including left and right segmentation and volume estimation. Improved response to brief CBT was predicted by increased pre-treatment activation in bilateral insula and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during threat processing, as well as increased right hippocampal gray matter volume. Previous work links these regions to improved threat processing and fear memory activation, suggesting that the activation of such mechanisms is crucial for exposure-based CBT to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kai Thilo
- Oxford Psychologists Ltd., Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola Filippini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK; Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Alison Croft
- Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
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