Analysis of behavioral role of discrimination learning which is regulated by the dorsal striatum.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870583
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Experimental psychology; Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Nishizawa Kayo 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (30644108)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 背側線条体 / 弁別学習 / ラット / イムノトキシン細胞標的法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The dorsal striatum, which contains the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) and dorsomedial striatum (DMS), regurates the acquisition and performance of discrimination learning. However the mechanism by which the indirect pathway from the DLS or DMS regulates the learning processes of discriminative actions remains unclear. In current study, selective elimination of DLS- or DMS-indirect pathway were not changed in the acquisition of conditional discrimination. In contrast, ablation of the DLS- or DMS-indirect pathway transiently impaired the performance of conditional discrimination, showing a marked reduction in the selection accuracy. In addition, the probability of perseverative errors was significantly increased in the animals lacking the indirect pathway from the DMS, but not from the DLS.

Free Research Field

神経科学