Biological Neural Network Analysis of Learning and Memory

摘要

The basic goal of our research program is to localize and analyze processes andmechanisms of memory formation, storage and retrieval in the mammalian brain. We focus on associative learning and memory of elementary adaptive; skilled movements, using classical conditioning of discrete movement (e.g., eyeblink, limb flexion). In this contract period we have developed extensive evidence for the following: (1) using a tone conditioned stimulus (CS), the CS pathway involves the pontine nuclei and their mossy fiber projections to the cerebellum, (2) the unconditioned stimulus (US) reinforcing pathway involves the dorsal accessory olive and its climbing fiber projections to the cerebellum, (3) the CR pathway projects from the interpositus nucleus of the cerebellum to the red nucleus, (4) the memory trace appears to be formed in the cerebellum. Our computational/mathematical work involves a neural network model of the cerebellum and its associated brain stem circuitry, constrained by the biological properties of this neural system, and is increasingly successful in accounting for the properties of learning and memory of skilled movements.