Synaptic basis of conditioned learning

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18333
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yagishita Sho 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 助教 (50721940)
• Research Collaborator: MAEDA Yoshitomo 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 特任研究員 ; NAKAZATO Ryosuke 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 大学院生
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 条件づけ学習 / 側坐核 / ドーパミン / 光遺伝学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dopamine reinforces single synapses within the time window of 0.3-2s in the nucleus accumbens. We examined the role of this synaptic mechanism in a behaving mouse operating Pavlovian conditioning with head-fixed condition. The results showed the association of tone and reward was formed within a time windows similar to that of synapses. This learning was dependent on the plasticity related molecule in the nucleus accumbens. A similar time window was also observed even when synaptic inputs onto nucleus accumbens was directly stimulated using optogenetics. After the conditioning, the synaptic inputs, which were previously neutral acquired positive valence. Thus, the current research revealed that the time window of synaptic plasticity determined the time window of Pavlovian conditioning.

Free Research Field

神経科学