Locus coeruleus-evoked responses in behaving rats: a clue to the role of noradrenaline in memory.
Brain Res Bull
; 35(5-6): 457-65, 1994.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-7859103
ABSTRACT
Neuromodulatory properties of noradrenaline (NA) suggest that the coreruleo-cortical NA projection should play an important role in attention and memory processes. Our research is aimed at providing some behavioral evidence. Single units of the locus coeruleus (LC) are recorded during controlled behavioral situations, in order to relate LC activation to specific behavioral contexts. LC cells respond in burst to imposed novel sensory stimuli or to novel objects encountered during free exploration. When there is no predictive value of the stimulus or no behavioral response required, there is rapid habituation of the LC response. When a stimulus is then associated with reinforcement, there is a renewed response, which is transient. During extinction, LC neuronal responses reappear. Thus, LC cells respond to novelty or change in incoming information, but do not have a sustained response to stimuli, even when they have a high level of biological significance. The gating and tuning action of NA released in target sensory systems would promote selective attention to relevant stimuli at the critical moment of change. The adaptive behavioral outcome would result from the integration of retrieved memory with the sensory information selected from the environment.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Comportamento Animal
/
Locus Cerúleo
/
Norepinefrina
/
Memória
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1994
Tipo de documento:
Article