Neuronal plasticity during memory consolidation process in imprinting

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530918
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Saitama Medical University
• Principal Investigator: SUGE Rie 埼玉医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (10342685)
• Research Collaborator: MCCABE Brian University of Cambridge, Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour, Director
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 初期学習 / 記憶の固定化 / 睡眠

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Undisturbed sleep is important for memory consolidation in imprinting in the domestic chick. In the intermediate and medical mesopallium (IMM), critical forebrain region for visual imprinting, imprinting leads to an increase in the proportion of neurons that are selectively responsive to a visual imprinting stimulus. This increase is dependent on undisturbed sleep 5-12 h after the first exposure to the stimulus. We have examined whether sleep during this period is associated with a change in neuronal activity in the IMM, using Fos immunoreactivity as a marker.
Dark-reared chicks were trained in individual running wheels by exposure to a red box for 2h. Chicks were assigned to Rest group (immobilized wheel) or Disturbed group (randomly rotated wheel to prevent continuous sleep) and killed 9 or 11 h after the start of training. In the IMM, but not in hippocampus or visual Wulst, there were more Fos-positive cells in the Rest group than in the Disturbed group.

Free Research Field

行動神経科学