The Anatomy and Physiology of Eyeblink Classical Conditioning. 2018

Kaori Takehara-Nishiuchi
Department of Psychology, Cell and Systems Biology, Neuroscience Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G3, Canada. takehara@psych.utoronto.ca.

This chapter reviews the past research toward identifying the brain circuit and its computation underlying the associative memory in eyeblink classical conditioning. In the standard delay eyeblink conditioning paradigm, the conditioned stimulus (CS) and eyeblink-eliciting unconditioned stimulus (US) converge in the cerebellar cortex and interpositus nucleus (IPN) through the pontine nuclei and inferior olivary nucleus. Repeated pairings of CS and US modify synaptic weights in the cerebellar cortex and IPN, enabling IPN neurons to activate the red nucleus and generate the conditioned response (CR). In a variant of the standard paradigm, trace eyeblink conditioning, the CS and US are separated by a brief stimulus-free trace interval. Acquisition in trace eyeblink conditioning depends on several forebrain regions, including the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex as well as the cerebellar-brainstem circuit. Details of computations taking place in these regions remain unclear; however, recent evidence supports a view that the forebrain encodes a temporal sequence of the CS, trace interval, and US in a specific environmental context and signals the cerebellar-brainstem circuit to execute the CR when the US is likely to occur. Together, delay eyeblink conditioning represents one of the most successful cases of understanding the neural substrates of long-term memory in mammals, while trace eyeblink conditioning demonstrates its utility for uncovering detailed computations in the whole brain network underlying long-term memory.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001767 Blinking Brief closing of the eyelids by involuntary normal periodic closing, as a protective measure, or by voluntary action. Orbicularis Oculi Reflex,Reflex, Blink,Reflex, Corneal,Reflex, Orbicularis Oculi,Winking,Blink Reflexes,Corneal Reflexes,Orbicularis Oculi Reflexes,Blink Reflex,Reflexes, Blink,Reflexes, Orbicularis Oculi
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D003214 Conditioning, Classical Learning that takes place when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus. Reflex, Conditioned,Classical Conditioning,Classical Conditionings,Conditioned Reflex,Conditionings, Classical
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D057567 Memory, Long-Term Remembrance of information from 3 or more years previously. Memory, Longterm,Memory, Remote,Remote Memory,Long-Term Memories,Long-Term Memory,Longterm Memories,Longterm Memory,Memories, Long-Term,Memories, Longterm,Memories, Remote,Memory, Long Term,Remote Memories

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