Neuroscience 2004 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 899.5 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Phasic activation of the primate locus coeruleus (LC) during task acqusition: Evidence for a role of lc in learning. |
| Authors: |
Clayton, E. C.*1
; Iba, M.1
; Rajkowski, J.1
; Aston-Jones, G.1
1Dept Psychiat, Univ of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Cognition and Behavior - Human and Animal Cognition and Behavior -- Executive function |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | Cognition and Behavior<br />- Human and Animal Cognition and Behavior<br />-- Learning & memory: Physiology and imaging |
| Session: |
899. Executive Functions: Other Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Wednesday, October 27, 2004 8:00 AM-9:00 AM |
| Location: | San Diego Convention Center - Hall A-H, Board # SS32 |
| Keywords: | decision, norepinephrine, working memory, attention |
Recent recordings from primate LC neurons in our lab during cognitive performance revealed phasic LC activation ~ 230 msec prior to the initiation of behavioral responses. This activation was more tightly time-locked to the behavioral response than to the sensory stimulus (Clayton et al., SFN Abstr. 2003; Rajkowski et al., J Neurophysiol., in press; Iba et al., this meeting). This and other evidence indicates that the LC activation is driven by decision processes and serves to facilitate ensuing behavioral responses. However, LC activity was only examined in animals overtrained and performing at high accuracy levels. Here, we examined LC activity during training in cognitive paradigms to examine the phasic LC activation as subjects acquired new behavioral responses. Two rhesus macaques were trained in a two-alternative forced choice task (FC), one in an oculomotor delayed matching to sample task, and one monkey underwent reversal training in a target detection task (TD). Unlike results in well-trained subjects, very early in training no LC response occurred to stimulus presentation or prior to the behavioral movement. There was, however, a response to reward. As training progressed and the monkeys became more proficient in the tasks, a phasic LC response appeared prior to the behavioral response, but in addition a second LC response occurred immediately after the behavioral response on both correct and incorrect trials. After additional training, the secondary LC peak disappeared leaving only the phasic LC response preceding the behavioral response. This pattern of responses indicates that LC responses during training may promote learning and plasticity, consistent with prior evidence for a role of the noradrenergic system in memory consolidation.
Supported by PHS grant MH 62196
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2004 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2004. Online.
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