Il finanziamento per questa ricerca è stato fornito da The Pass Garnett e Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation e La Trobe University.

<ol>
	<li>Mauger, S. J., Shivdasani, M. N., Rathbone, G. D., Argent, R. E., Paolini, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+in+vivo+investigation+of+first+spike+latencies+in+the+inferior+colliculus+in+response+to+multichannel+penetrating+auditory+brainstem+implant+stimulation.">An in vivo investigation of first spike latencies in the inferior colliculus in response to multichannel penetrating auditory brainstem implant stimulation.</a> Journal of Neural Engineering. 7, 036004-036004 (2010).</li><li>Shivdasani, M. N., Mauger, S. J., Argent, R. E., Rathbone, G. D., Paolini, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inferior+colliculus+responses+to+dual-site+intralamina+stimulation+in+the+ventral+cochlear+nucleus.">Inferior colliculus responses to dual-site intralamina stimulation in the ventral cochlear nucleus.</a> J. Comp. Neurol. 518, 4226-4242 (2010).</li><li>Shivdasani, M. N., Mauger, S. J., Rathbone, G. D., Paolini, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inferior+colliculus+responses+to+multichannel+microstimulation+of+the+ventral+cochlear+nucleus:+Implications+for+auditory+brain+stem+implants.">Inferior colliculus responses to multichannel microstimulation of the ventral cochlear nucleus: Implications for auditory brain stem implants.</a> Journal of Neurophysiology. 99, 1-13 (2007).</li><li>Lenarz, M., Lim, H. H., Patrick, J. F., Anderson, D. J., Lenarz, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Electrophysiological+Validation+of+a+Human+Prototype+Auditory+Midbrain+Implant+in+a+Guinea+Pig+Model.">Electrophysiological Validation of a Human Prototype Auditory Midbrain Implant in a Guinea Pig Model.</a> JARO. 7, 383-398 (2006).</li><li>Lim, H. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Auditory+Cortical+Responses+to+Electrical+Stimulation+of+the+Inferior+Colliculus:+Implications+for+an+Auditory+Midbrain+Implant.">Auditory Cortical Responses to Electrical Stimulation of the Inferior Colliculus: Implications for an Auditory Midbrain Implant.</a> Journal of Neurophysiology. 96, 975-988 (2006).</li><li>Otto, K. J., Rousche, P. J., Kipke, D. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microstimulation+in+auditory+cortex+provides+a+substrate+for+detailed+behaviors.">Microstimulation in auditory cortex provides a substrate for detailed behaviors.</a> Hearing research. 210, 112-117 (2005).</li><li>Gai, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Detection+of+Tones+in+Reproducible+Noise+Maskers+by+Rabbits+and+Comparison+to+Detection+by+Humans.">Detection of Tones in Reproducible Noise Maskers by Rabbits and Comparison to Detection by Humans.</a> JARO. 8, 522-538 (2007).</li><li>Miller, C. A., Woodruff, K. E., Pfingst, B. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+responses+from+guinea+pigs+with+cochlear+implants.+I.+Electrophysiological+and+psychophysical+measures.">Functional responses from guinea pigs with cochlear implants. I. Electrophysiological and psychophysical measures.</a> Hearing Research. 92, 85-99 (1995).</li><li>Beitel, R. E., Vollmer, M., Snyder, R. L., Schreiner, C. E., Leake, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Behavioral+and+neurophysiological+thresholds+for+electrical+cochlear+stimulation+in+the+deaf+cat.">Behavioral and neurophysiological thresholds for electrical cochlear stimulation in the deaf cat.</a> Audiology &#38; Neurotology. 5, 31-38 (2000).</li><li>Beitel, R. E., Snyder, R. L., Schreiner, C. E., Raggio, M. W., Leake, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Electrical+cochlear+stimulation+in+the+deaf+cat:+comparisons+between+psychophysical+and+central+auditory+neuronal+thresholds.">Electrical cochlear stimulation in the deaf cat: comparisons between psychophysical and central auditory neuronal thresholds.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 83, 2145-2162 (2000).</li><li>Vollmer, M., Beitel, R. E., Snyder, R. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Auditory+detection+and+discrimination+in+deaf+cats:+Psychophysical+and+neural+thresholds+for+intracochlear+electrical+signals.">Auditory detection and discrimination in deaf cats: Psychophysical and neural thresholds for intracochlear electrical signals.</a> Journal of Neurophysiology. 86, 2330-2343 (2001).</li><li>LeDoux, J. E., Cicchetti, P., Xagoraris, A., Romanski, L. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+lateral+amygdaloid+nucleus:+sensory+interface+of+the+amygdala+in+fear+conditioning.">The lateral amygdaloid nucleus: sensory interface of the amygdala in fear conditioning.</a> Journal of Neuroscience. 10, 1062-1069 (1990).</li><li>McCreery, D. B., Yuen, T. G., Agnew, W. F., Bullara, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+characterization+of+the+effects+on+neuronal+excitability+due+to+prolonged+microstimulation+with+chronically+implanted+microelectrodes.">A characterization of the effects on neuronal excitability due to prolonged microstimulation with chronically implanted microelectrodes.</a> IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 44, 931-939 (1997).</li><li>Liu, X., McPhee, G., Seldon, H. L., Clark, G. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Histological+and+physiological+effects+of+the+central+auditory+prosthesis:+surface+versus+penetrating+electrodes.">Histological and physiological effects of the central auditory prosthesis: surface versus penetrating electrodes.</a> Hearing Research. 114, 264-274 (1997).</li><li>Polikov, V. S., Tresco, P. A., Reichert, W. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Response+of+brain+tissue+to+chronically+implanted+neural+electrodes.">Response of brain tissue to chronically implanted neural electrodes.</a> Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 148, 1-18 (2005).</li></ol>

Dr. Antonio Paolini è un direttore di Bioengenesis Technologies Pty Ltd che sono i rappresentanti australiani per Tucker Technologies Davis e il distributore australiano di sonde NeuroNexus.

Le tecniche descritte qui forniscono un mezzo per testare una serie di compiti di discriminazione rapidamente, con tempi di formazione di breve durata e consentendo per l&#39;automazione sostanziale, riducendo così al minimo ricercatore a tempo richiesto per l&#39;elaborazione dei dati. Utilizzando i dati ottenuti dal impiantato ECG, il calcolo della frequenza cardiaca (HR) il cambiamento nei momenti di presentazione dello stimolo può essere automatizzato. Errori nel trattamento ECG (come ad esempio manca un solo battito cardiaco) possono essere facilmente identificati in quanto producono grandi variazioni falsamente in apparente della frequenza cardiaca per un periodo molto breve, e tale rilevazione degli errori semplice riduce al minimo la necessità di tempo ad alta intensità di revisione manuale dei dati . La tecnica descritta per l&#39;impianto del dispositivo di telemetria ECG produce costantemente registrazioni con poca o nessuna interferenza (vedi figure 1 e 2). Tuttavia, le variazioni relativamente piccole nel posizionamento del piombo nella regione mediastino può comportare interferenze da muscolo vicinas e particolare respirazione associata rumore. Verifica del corretto posizionamento dei cavi durante il processo di impianto, in particolare dopo la sutura cavi in ​​vigore, permette regolazioni di precisione di posizionamento di piombo per minimizzare le interferenze. Il processo di impianto cervello nel nucleo cocleare è difficile. Utilizzando presentazioni seriali di passa-banda di rumore filtrato delle gamme di frequenza diversi, piuttosto che il rumore a banda larga, come è già stato utilizzato 3, le risposte di popolazioni cellulari in siti di elettrodi possono essere rapidamente recensione in termini di risposta in frequenza piuttosto che l&#39;meno specifico rumore risposta. La capacità di identificare rapidamente quando un numero sufficiente di frequenza sintonizzati popolazioni cellulari sono accessibili è fondamentale nella ricerca quando la discriminazione stimolo elettrico viene testato. Se insufficiente frequenza di distribuzione si ottiene, quindi il confronto tra la stimolazione delle zone di frequenza differenti non è semplicemente possibile. Tuttavia, il processo piùdi frequenza di ampiezza mapping risposta rimane critica a fornire dettagli riguardo l&#39;ampiezza di messa a punto di popolazioni di cellule e dovrebbe essere eseguito prima di fissare l&#39;elettrodo in posizione. In formazione comportamentale e test, l&#39;inclusione di una non-stimolo (o silente) periodo tra la prova, prima della comparsa dello stimolo, permette la risposta di insorgenza stimolo iniziale da esaminare. Quando si utilizza elettrica stimolazione neurale, una risposta di inizio stimolo fornisce la prova per la rivelazione semplice dello stimolo. Così, quando non vi è alcuna risposta insorgenza stimolo, ma una risposta quando lo stimolo alternanza secondo viene introdotto, si può dedurre che il solo stimolo quest&#39;ultimo può essere rilevata. Senza l&#39;inclusione di un periodo di silenzio, non ci sarebbe modo di determinare che lo stimolo primo non è stato rilevato. Una limitazione di questa tecnica di collaudo comportamentale è che l&#39;assenza di piede di shock pronunciata dopo la presentazione di neural stimolazione può portare allo sviluppo di specificità in paura condizionata, tale che la paura è espressa solo quando stimolo acustico viene presentato. Cioè, l&#39;animale può apprendere che gli effetti particolari sensoriali della stimolazione neurale sono associati non riceve uno shock piede. Al contrario, la consegna foot-shock dopo la presentazione della stimolazione neurale potrebbe portare a una paura condizionata dello stimolo neurale in sé, distinto da qualsiasi suono, come proprietà dello stimolo neurale può avere. I risultati ottenuti escludendo un piede-shock dopo la stimolazione neurale certamente fornire la prova più forte di stimolo neurale essere suono simile a quelli con un piede-shock dopo la stimolazione neurale, come nel primo caso la paura condizionata, è generalizzata a decorrere acustica alla stimolazione neurale. Tuttavia, il rischio di sviluppare specificità per acustico piuttosto che la stimolazione neurale è presente. L&#39;uso di passa-banda filtrata rumore come stimolo acustico anziché burst tono puro, il primo dei qualipuò riflettere meglio l&#39;esperienza percettiva della stimolazione neurale, potrebbe ridurre il rischio di sviluppare tale specificità. Tuttavia, una tale procedura introduce la variabile aggiuntiva di larghezza di banda del filtro, che influenzerà i compiti discriminazione. Un&#39;ulteriore limitazione associata a qualsiasi impianto cronica neurale, come richiesto per la prova comportamentale, è la variazione in funzione del l&#39;elettrodo o il tessuto neurale associato nel tempo. La stimolazione del tessuto neurale può portare sia soppressione temporanea di 13 attività neuronale e cambiamenti del tessuto come risposta perdita di tessuto cellulare 14 e diretto cervello all&#39;elettrodo 15. L&#39;approccio descritto per l&#39;impianto e test comportamentale fornisce un mezzo per testare sia il rilevamento e la discriminazione di stimoli acustico ed elettrico con formazione breve, e la capacità di esercitare il controllo della frequenza di prova. La tecnica di utilizzare cambiamento in HR come misurazionee di paura condizionata può essere applicabile non solo test uditivo, ma più in generale a qualsiasi test in cui stimoli sensoriali possono essere presentati per qualsiasi periodo discreto, e in cui il rilevamento di discriminazione sensoriale è desiderato.

<table border="1"><tbody><tr><td> Nome </td><td> Azienda </td><td> Modello </td><td> Comments </td></tr><tr><td> PowerLab </td><td> ADInstruments </td><td> ML880 </td><td> Registra i dati ricevuti dal trasmettitore impiantato TR40 </td></tr><tr><td> SmartCtrl scheda controller </td><td> Med Associates </td><td> DIG-716B </td><td> Controlla la camera comportamentale test, incluso lo shock del piede </td></tr><tr><td> Modular camera di prova comportamentale </td><td> Med Associates </td><td> ENV-009 </td><td> Test di dimensioni della camera: 30.5cm x 39,4 centimetri </td></tr><tr><td> Avversiva stimolo generatore </td><td> Med Associates </td><td> ENV-410B </td><td> Offre avversione piedi-shock su metallo-bar pavimento della gabbia attraverso una unità Solid State Scrambler </td></tr><tr><td> Attenuatore programmabile </td><td> TDT </td><td> PA5 </td><td> Controlla la AMPLitude di consegna segnale acustico per garantire ampiezza stabile tra le frequenze </td></tr><tr><td> Speaker conducente elettrostatica </td><td> TDT </td><td> ED1 </td><td> Drives gli altoparlanti elettrostatici (EC1, ES1) </td></tr><tr><td> Campo libero speaker elettrostatico </td><td> TDT </td><td> ES1 </td><td> I suoni sono presentati con questo diffusore nella camera di prova comportamentale </td></tr><tr><td> Accoppiato speaker elettrostatico </td><td> TDT </td><td> EC1 </td><td> I suoni sono presentati con questo diffusore durante la chirurgia implantare neurale </td></tr><tr><td> Stimolatore Base Station </td><td> TDT </td><td> RX7 </td><td> Controlli della fornitura elettrica stimolazione neurale (usato con MS16) </td></tr><tr><td> Microstimulator </td><td> TDT </td><td> MS16 </td><td> Offre multicanale stimolazione elettrica neurale </td></tr><tr><td> Elaborazione stazione base </td><td> TDT </td><td> RZ2 </td><td> Records attività neurale del cervello durante l&#39;impianto (con preamplificatore PZ2) </td></tr><tr><td> Preamplificatore </td><td> TDT </td><td> PZ2-256 </td><td> 256-canale preamplificatore alta impedenza </td></tr><tr><td> Telemetria dispositivo ricevitore </td><td> Telemetria di ricerca </td><td> TR162 </td><td> Riceve il segnale digitale da TR40, e converte in uscita analogica amplificata </td></tr><tr><td> Impiantabile elettrocardiogramma dispositivo di telemetria </td><td> Telemetria di ricerca </td><td> TR40 </td><td> Il dispositivo trasmettitore impiantato, campionamento a 2kHz </td></tr><tr><td> Processore Multifunzione </td><td> Tucker Technologies Davis (TDT) </td><td> RX6 </td><td> Usato per generare stimoli acustici </td></tr><tr><td> Vertex Castavaria </td><td> Vertex Dental </td><td></td><td> Dental acrilico usato per fissare l&#39;elettrodo in posizione </td></tr><tr><td> Kwik-Sil adesivo, bassa viscosità </td><td> Mondo Strumenti di precisione </td><td></td><td> Elastomero silicone utilizzato per rivestire i gambi degli elettrodi </td></tr><tr><td> Multichannel elettrodo </td><td> NeuroNexus </td><td> a2x16-10mm 100-500-413 </td><td> Il 2-gambo a 32 canali extracellulare matrice di elettrodi utilizzati per l&#39;impianto. I siti elettrodi sono stati attivati ​​per produrre un rivestimento di ossido di iridio in preparazione per la stimolazione. </td></tr></tbody></table>

behavioral determination of stimulus pair discrimination of auditory acoustic and electrical stimuli using a classical conditioning and heart-rate approach

Preparazioni di tossicità acuta sono stati utilizzati nel campo della ricerca in prospettiva indagando i disegni e le tecniche di elettrodi di stimolazione per l&#39;integrazione in protesi uditive neurali, come ad esempio impianti uditivi del tronco encefalico 1-3 e protesi uditive 4,5 mesencefalo. Mentre esperimenti acuti possono fornire un&#39;idea iniziale all&#39;efficacia dell&#39;impianto, testando i animali cronicamente impiantati sveglio e fornisce il vantaggio di esaminare le proprietà delle sensazioni psico indotta utilizzando dispositivi impiantati 6,7. Diverse tecniche come ricompensa a base di condizionamento operante 6-8, evitamento condizionato 9-11, o condizionamento alla paura classica 12 sono stati utilizzati per fornire la conferma del comportamento di rilevamento di un attributo di stimolo rilevante. Selezione di una tecnica si tratta degli aspetti di bilanciamento, comprese l&#39;efficienza temporale (spesso povero di ricompensa a base di approcci), la possibilità di testare una pluralità distimolo attribuisce contemporaneamente (limitata nel evitamento), l&#39;affidabilità e la misura di stimoli ripetuti (una limitazione potenziale quando le misure fisiologiche sono impiegati). Qui, un classico metodo di condizionamento paura comportamentale viene presentato che può essere usato per testare simultaneamente sia il rilevamento di uno stimolo, e discriminazione tra due stimoli. Frequenza cardiaca viene utilizzata come una misura della risposta di paura, che riduce o elimina la necessità di tempo di codifica video per il comportamento di congelamento o di altre misure analoghe (anche se tali misure potrebbero essere inclusi per fornire elementi di prova convergenti). Gli animali sono stati condizionati con queste tecniche in tre sessioni di due ore di condizionamento, da ognuna delle 48 prove di stimolo. Successivi 48 sessioni di test di prova sono stati poi utilizzati per testare per la rilevazione di ogni stimolo a coppie presentati, e la discriminazione di prova fra gli stimoli membri di ciascuna coppia. Questo metodo comportamentale è presentata nellail contesto della sua utilizzazione nel campo della ricerca uditiva protesica. L&#39;impianto di dispositivi di telemetria elettrocardiogramma viene mostrato. Successivamente l&#39;impianto di elettrodi nel cervello nucleo cocleare, guidato dal monitoraggio delle risposte neurali agli stimoli acustici, e la fissazione del elettrodo in posizione per un uso cronico si rivela, altresì.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Behavioral Determination of Stimulus Pair Discrimination of Auditory Acoustic and Electrical Stimuli Using a Classical Conditioning and Heart-rate Approach at

Behavioral Determination of Stimulus Pair Discrimination of Auditory Acoustic and Electrical Stimuli Using a Classical Conditioning and Heart-rate Approach

L&#39;applicazione di un paradigma classico condizionamento timore comportamentale per uditivo protesica ricerca nei ratti viene descritto. Questo paradigma fornisce un meccanismo per identificare sia il rilevamento e la discriminazione tra, acustico distinto e stimoli elettrici con frequenza cardiaca come misura di esito.

Determinazione del comportamento della discriminazione Coppia stimolo acustico stimoli uditivi e elettrica utilizzando un condizionamento classico e alla frequenza cardiaca approccio

Acute animal preparations have been used in research prospectively investigating electrode designs and stimulation techniques for integration into neural ...

behavioral-determination-stimulus-pair-discrimination-auditory

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Unit 1

Frequency Response

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14.4K Views.  La Trobe University. L'applicazione di un paradigma classico condizionamento timore comportamentale per uditivo protesica ricerca nei ratti viene descritto. Questo paradigma fornisce un meccanismo per identificare sia il rilevamento e la discriminazione tra, acustico distinto e stimoli elettrici con frequenza cardiaca come misura di esito.

Video: Behavioral Determination of Stimulus Pair Discrimination of Auditory Acoustic and Electrical Stimuli Using a Classical Conditioning and Heart-rate Approach

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are well known for their communication and orientation skills and for their impressive learning capability1,2. Because the survival of a honeybee colony depends on the exploitation of food sources, forager bees learn and memorize variable flower sites as well as their profitability. Forager bees can be easily trained in natural settings where they forage at a feeding site and learn the related signals such as odor or color. Appetitive associative learning can also be studied under controlled conditions in the laboratory by conditioning the proboscis extension response (PER) of individually harnessed honeybees3,4. This learning paradigm enables the study of the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that underlie learning and memory formation in a simple and highly reliable way5-12. A behavioral pharmacology approach is used to study molecular mechanisms. Drugs are injected systemically to interfere with the function of specific molecules during or after learning and memory formation13-16.
Here we demonstrate how to train harnessed honeybees in PER conditioning and how to apply drugs systemically by injection into the bee flight muscle.

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees Apis mellifera

We demonstrate how to implement a behavioral pharmacology method in an appetitive olfactory conditioning paradigm in honeybees (Apis mellifera) by systemic application of drugs. This method allows investigation of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory formation in a simple and reliable way.

Farmacologia Comportamentale nel condizionamento classico della risposta estensione proboscide in api ( Apis mellifera)

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are well known for their communication and orientation skills and for their impressive learning capability1,2. Because the ...

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Neuroscienze

A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds

Experimental manipulations of sensory feedback during complex behavior have provided valuable insights into the computations underlying motor control and sensorimotor plasticity1. Consistent sensory perturbations result in compensatory changes in motor output, reflecting changes in feedforward motor control that reduce the experienced feedback error. By quantifying how different sensory feedback errors affect human behavior, prior studies have explored how visual signals are used to recalibrate arm movements2,3 and auditory feedback is used to modify speech production4-7. The strength of this approach rests on the ability to mimic naturalistic errors in behavior, allowing the experimenter to observe how experienced errors in production are used to recalibrate motor output.
Songbirds provide an excellent animal model for investigating the neural basis of sensorimotor control and plasticity8,9. The songbird brain provides a well-defined circuit in which the areas necessary for song learning are spatially separated from those required for song production, and neural recording and lesion studies have made significant advances in understanding how different brain areas contribute to vocal behavior9-12. However, the lack of a naturalistic error-correction paradigm - in which a known acoustic parameter is perturbed by the experimenter and then corrected by the songbird - has made it difficult to understand the computations underlying vocal learning or how different elements of the neural circuit contribute to the correction of vocal errors13.
The technique described here gives the experimenter precise control over auditory feedback errors in singing birds, allowing the introduction of arbitrary sensory errors that can be used to drive vocal learning. Online sound-processing equipment is used to introduce a known perturbation to the acoustics of song, and a miniaturized headphones apparatus is used to replace a songbird's natural auditory feedback with the perturbed signal in real time. We have used this paradigm to perturb the fundamental frequency (pitch) of auditory feedback in adult songbirds, providing the first demonstration that adult birds maintain vocal performance using error correction14. The present protocol can be used to implement a wide range of sensory feedback perturbations (including but not limited to pitch shifts) to investigate the computational and neurophysiological basis of vocal learning.

We describe the design and assembly of miniaturized headphones suitable for replacing a songbird&#x2019;s natural auditory feedback with a manipulated acoustic signal. Online sound processing hardware is used to manipulate song output, introduce real-time errors in auditory feedback via the headphones, and drive vocal motor learning.

Un leggero, Cuffie-based per la gestione di sistema feedback uditivo in Songbirds

Experimental manipulations of sensory feedback during complex behavior have provided valuable insights into the computations underlying motor control and ...

Functional Imaging of Auditory Cortex in Adult Cats using High-field fMRI

Current knowledge of sensory processing in the mammalian auditory system is mainly derived from electrophysiological studies in a variety of animal models, including monkeys, ferrets, bats, rodents, and cats. In order to draw suitable parallels between human and animal models of auditory function, it is important to establish a bridge between human functional imaging studies and animal electrophysiological studies. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an established, minimally invasive method of measuring broad patterns of hemodynamic activity across different regions of the cerebral cortex. This technique is widely used to probe sensory function in the human brain, is a useful tool in linking studies of auditory processing in both humans and animals and has been successfully used to investigate auditory function in monkeys and rodents. The following protocol describes an experimental procedure for investigating auditory function in anesthetized adult cats by measuring stimulus-evoked hemodynamic changes in auditory cortex using fMRI. This method facilitates comparison of the hemodynamic responses across different models of auditory function thus leading to a better understanding of species-independent features of the mammalian auditory cortex.

Functional studies of the auditory system in mammals have traditionally been conducted using spatially-focused techniques such as electrophysiological recordings. The following protocol describes a method of visualizing large-scale patterns of evoked hemodynamic activity in the cat auditory cortex using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Imaging funzionale di Auditory Cortex in gatti adulti utilizzando ad alto campo fMRI

Current knowledge of sensory processing in the mammalian auditory system is mainly derived from electrophysiological studies in a variety of animal ...

High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning

The molecular synaptic mechanisms underlying auditory learning and memory remain largely unknown. Here, the workflow of a proteomic study on auditory discrimination learning in mice is described. In this learning paradigm, mice are trained in a shuttle box Go/NoGo-task to discriminate between rising and falling frequency-modulated tones in order to avoid a mild electric foot-shock. The protocol involves the enrichment of synaptosomes from four brain areas, namely the auditory cortex, frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, at different stages of training. Synaptic protein expression patterns obtained from trained mice are compared to na&#239;ve controls using a proteomic approach. To achieve sufficient analytical depth, samples are fractionated in three different ways prior to mass spectrometry, namely 1D SDS-PAGE/in-gel digestion, in-solution digestion and phospho-peptide enrichment. 
High-resolution proteomic analysis on a mass spectrometer and label-free quantification are used to examine synaptic protein profiles in phospho-peptide-depleted and phospho-peptide-enriched fractions of synaptosomal protein samples. A commercial software package is utilized to reveal proteins and phospho-peptides with significantly regulated relative synaptic abundance levels (trained/na&#239;ve controls). Common and differential regulation modes for the synaptic proteome in the investigated brain regions of mice after training were observed. Subsequently, meta-analyses utilizing several databases are employed to identify underlying cellular functions and biological pathways.

The identification of molecules and pathways controlling synaptic plasticity and memory is still a major challenge in neuroscience. Here, a workflow is described addressing the relative quantification of synaptic proteins supposedly involved in the molecular reorganization of synapses during learning and memory consolidation in an auditory learning paradigm.

Alta risoluzione Quantitative Synaptic Proteome profiling di cervello di topo Regioni Dopo uditiva discriminazione Learning

The molecular synaptic mechanisms underlying auditory learning and memory remain largely unknown. Here, the workflow of a proteomic study on auditory ...

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Neonatal rats were administered a relatively high concentration of ethyl alcohol (11.9% v/v) during postnatal days 4-9, a time when the fetal brain undergoes rapid organizational change and is similar to accelerated brain changes that occur during the third trimester in humans. This model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) produces severe brain damage, mimicking the amount and pattern of binge-drinking that occurs in some pregnant alcoholic mothers. We describe the use of trace eyeblink classical conditioning (ECC), a higher-order variant of associative learning, to assess long-term hippocampal dysfunction that is typically seen in alcohol-exposed adult offspring. At 90 days of age, rodents were surgically prepared with recording and stimulating electrodes, which measured electromyographic (EMG) blink activity from the left eyelid muscle and delivered mild shock posterior to the left eye, respectively. After a 5 day recovery period, they underwent 6 sessions of trace ECC to determine associative learning differences between alcohol-exposed and control rats. Trace ECC is one of many possible ECC procedures that can be easily modified using the same equipment and software, so that different neural systems can be assessed. ECC procedures in general, can be used as diagnostic tools for detecting neural pathology in different brain systems and different conditions that insult the brain.

Trace eyeblink classical conditioning (ECC) was used to assess hippocampal-dependent associative learning in adult rats that were administered a high concentration (11.9% v/v) of alcohol during early neonatal brain development. In general, ECC procedures are sound diagnostic tools for detecting brain dysfunction across many psychological and biomedical settings.

L'uso di traccia Eyeblink condizionamento classico per valutare la disfunzione Hippocampal in un modello del ratto dei disturbi dello spettro fetale alcol

Neonatal rats were administered a relatively high concentration of ethyl alcohol (11.9% v/v) during postnatal days 4-9, a time when the fetal brain ...

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory

Many insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory have been elucidated through the use of simple behavioral assays in model organisms such as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Drosophila is useful for understanding the basic neurobiology underlying cognitive deficits resulting from mutations in genes associated with human cognitive disorders, such as intellectual disability (ID) and autism. This work describes a methodology for testing learning and memory using a classic paradigm in Drosophila known as courtship conditioning. Male flies court females using a distinct pattern of easily recognizable behaviors. Premated females are not receptive to mating and will reject the male&#39;s copulation attempts. In response to this rejection, male flies reduce their courtship behavior. This learned reduction in courtship behavior is measured over time, serving as an indicator of learning and memory. The basic numerical output of this assay is the courtship index (CI), which is defined as the percentage of time that a male spends courting during a 10 min interval. The learning index (LI) is the relative reduction of CI in flies that have been exposed to a premated female compared to na&#239;ve flies with no previous social encounters. For the statistical comparison of LIs between genotypes, a randomization test with bootstrapping is used. To illustrate how the assay can be used to address the role of a gene relating to learning and memory, the pan-neuronal knockdown of Dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase (Dhap-at) was characterized here. The human ortholog of Dhap-at, glyceronephosphate O-acyltransferase (GNPT), is involved in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 2, an autosomal-recessive syndrome characterized by severe ID. Using the courtship conditioning assay, it was determined that Dhap-at is required for long-term memory, but not for short-term memory. This result serves as a basis for further investigation of the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory

This protocol describes a Drosophila learning and memory assay called courtship conditioning. This classic assay is based on a reduction of male courtship behavior after sexual rejection by a non-receptive premated female. This natural form of behavioral plasticity can be used to test learning, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Condizionamento del corteggiamento di Drosophila come misura dell&#39;apprendimento e della memoria

Many insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory have been elucidated through the use of simple behavioral assays in model ...

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Three vigilance states dominate mammalian life: wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, and REM sleep. As more neural correlates of behavior are identified in freely moving animals, this three-fold subdivision becomes too simplistic. During wakefulness, ensembles of global and local cortical activities, together with peripheral parameters such as pupillary diameter and sympathovagal balance, define various degrees of arousal. It remains unclear the extent to which sleep also forms a continuum of brain states-within which the degree of resilience to sensory stimuli and arousability, and perhaps other sleep functions, vary gradually-and how peripheral physiological states co-vary. Research advancing the methods to monitor multiple parameters during sleep, as well as attributing to constellations of these functional attributes, is central to refining our understanding of sleep as a multifunctional process during which many beneficial effects must be executed. Identifying novel parameters characterizing sleep states will open opportunities for novel diagnostic avenues in sleep disorders.
We present a procedure to describe dynamic variations of mouse non-REM sleep states via the combined monitoring and analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG)/electrocorticogram (ECoG), electromyogram (EMG), and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals using standard polysomnographic recording techniques. Using this approach, we found that mouse non-REM sleep is organized into cycles of coordinated neural and cardiac oscillations that generate successive 25-s intervals of high and low fragility to external stimuli. Therefore, central and autonomic nervous systems are coordinated to form behaviorally distinct sleep states during consolidated non-REM sleep. We present surgical manipulations for polysomnographic (i.e., EEG/EMG combined with ECG) monitoring to track these cycles in the freely sleeping mouse, the analysis to quantify their dynamics, and the acoustic stimulation protocols to assess their role in the likelihood of waking up. Our approach has already been extended to human sleep and promises to unravel common organizing principles of non-REM sleep states in mammals.

Here, we present experimental and analytical procedures to describe the temporal dynamics of the neural and cardiac variables of non-REM sleep in mice, which modulate sleep responsiveness to acoustic stimuli.

Quantificare la dinamica infrarosso del potere spettrale e della frequenza cardiaca nei topi addormentati

Three vigilance states dominate mammalian life: wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, and REM sleep. As more neural correlates of behavior ...

Desensitization and Recovery of Crayfish Photoreceptors Upon Delivery of a Light Stimulus

A method to study desensitization and recovery of crayfish photoreceptors is presented. We performed intracellular electrical recordings of photoreceptor cells in isolated eyestalks using the discontinuous single electrode-switched voltage-clamp configuration. First, with a razor blade we made an opening in the dorsal cornea to get access to the retina. Thereafter, we inserted a glass electrode through the opening, and penetrated a cell as reported by the recording of a negative potential. Membrane potential was clamped at the photoreceptor's resting potential and a light-pulse was applied to activate currents. Finally, the two light-flash protocol was employed to measure current desensitization and recovery. The first light-flash triggers, after a lag period, the transduction ionic current, which after reaching a peak amplitude decays towards a desensitized state; the second flash, applied at varying time intervals, assesses the state of the light-activated conductance. To characterize the light-elicited current, three parameters were measured: 1) latency (the time elapsed between light flash delivery and the moment in which current achieves 10% of its maximum value); 2) peak current; and 3) desensitization time constant (exponential time constant of the current decay phase). All parameters are affected by the first pulse.
To quantify recovery from desensitization, the ratio p2/p1 was employed versus time between pulses. p1 is the peak current evoked by the first light-pulse, and p2 is the peak current evoked by the second pulse. These data were fitted to a sum of exponential functions. Finally, these measurements were carried out as function of circadian time.

A protocol for the study of desensitization and sensitivity recovery of crayfish photoreceptors as a function of circadian time is presented.

Desensibilizzazione e recupero dei fotorecettori dei gamberi al momento della consegna di uno stimolo leggero

A method to study desensitization and recovery of crayfish photoreceptors is presented. We performed intracellular electrical recordings of photoreceptor ...

An Objective and Reproducible Test of Olfactory Learning and Discrimination in Mice

Olfaction is the predominant sensory modality in mice and influences many important behaviors, including foraging, predator detection, mating, and parenting. Importantly, mice can be trained to associate novel odors with specific behavioral responses to provide insight into olfactory circuit function. This protocol details the procedure for training mice on a Go/No-Go operant learning task. In this approach, mice are trained on hundreds of automated trials daily for 2&#8211;4 weeks and can then be tested on novel Go/No-Go odor pairs to assess olfactory discrimination, or be used for studies on how odor learning alters the structure or function of the olfactory circuit. Additionally, the mouse olfactory bulb (OB) features ongoing integration of adult-born neurons. Interestingly, olfactory learning increases both the survival and synaptic connections of these adult-born neurons. Therefore, this protocol can be combined with other biochemical, electrophysiological, and imaging techniques to study learning and activity-dependent factors that mediate neuronal survival and plasticity.

Here, we train mice on an associative learning task to test odor discrimination. This protocol also allows for studies on learning-induced structural changes in the brain.

Una prova oggettiva e riproducibile di apprendimento olfattivo e discriminazione nei topi

Olfaction is the predominant sensory modality in mice and influences many important behaviors, including foraging, predator detection, mating, and ...

Cochlear Implant Surgery and Electrically-evoked Auditory Brainstem Response Recordings in C57BL/6 Mice

Cochlear implants (CIs) are neuroprosthetic devices that can provide a sense of hearing to deaf people. However, a CI cannot restore all aspects of hearing. Improvement of the implant technology is needed if CI users are to perceive music and perform in more natural environments, such as hearing out a voice with competing talkers, reflections, and other sounds. Such improvement requires experimental animals to better understand the mechanisms of electric stimulation in the cochlea and its responses in the whole auditory system. The mouse is an increasingly attractive model due to the many genetic models available. However, the limited use of this species as a CI model is mainly due to the difficulty of implanting small electrode arrays. More details about the surgical procedure are therefore of great interest to expand the use of mice in CI research.
In this report, we describe in detail the protocol for acute deafening and cochlear implantation of an electrode array in the C57BL/6 mouse strain. We demonstrate the functional efficacy of this procedure with electrically-evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) and show examples of facial nerve stimulation. Finally, we also discuss the importance of including a deafening procedure when using a normally hearing animal. This mouse model provides a powerful opportunity to study genetic and neurobiological mechanisms that would be of relevance for CI users.

Animal models of cochlear implants can advance knowledge of the technological bases of treating permanent sensorineural hearing loss with electrical stimulation. This study presents a surgical protocol for acute deafening and cochlear implantation of an electrode array in mice as well as the functional assessment with auditory brainstem response.

Chirurgia di impianto cocleare e registrazioni di risposta elettricamente evocate uditive del tronco cerebrale in topi C57BL/6

Cochlear implants (CIs) are neuroprosthetic devices that can provide a sense of hearing to deaf people. However, a CI cannot restore all aspects of ...