Abstract
Experimental data support the involvement of cerebellar circuits in the acquisition of spatial procedural competences. Since the ability to acquire new procedural competences is lost when cerebellar regions are lesioned or when NMDA receptor activity is blocked, we analyzed whether the learning of explorative strategies is affected by blocking NMDA receptor activity in the presence of cerebellar lesions. To this aim, the NMDA receptor antagonist (CGS 19755, 7 mg/kg) was administered i.p. to un-lesioned rats, or rats subjected to total ablation of the cerebellum or to hemi-cerebellectomy. CGS 19755 and cerebellectomy both produced water maze behavior characterized by circling. Administration of CGS 19755 did not modify the Morris Water Maze (MWM) peripheral circling behavior of cerebellectomized animals. Circling was the dominant strategy of hemicerebellectomized animals in the absence of drugs. However, increasingly compulsive circling was observed under the action of CGS 19755. Circling was not observed if the drug-treated animals (un-lesioned or lesioned) had been previously trained. In conclusion, the NMDA antagonist caused severe impairment in the acquisition of spatial procedures, thus mimicking the consequences of cerebellar ablation on spatial procedural learning. Based on the present findings, we hypothesize that cerebellar NMDA receptor activity is involved in the acquisition of procedural spatial competence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 356-367 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Brain Research Bulletin |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 4-6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 16 2006 |
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Keywords
- Cerebellum
- Navigational strategies
- Procedural learning
- Rats
- Spatial function
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
NMDA receptor activity in learning spatial procedural strategies. II. The influence of cerebellar lesions. / Federico, Francesca; Leggio, Maria G.; Neri, Paola; Mandolesi, Laura; Petrosini, Laura.
In: Brain Research Bulletin, Vol. 70, No. 4-6, 16.10.2006, p. 356-367.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - NMDA receptor activity in learning spatial procedural strategies. II. The influence of cerebellar lesions
AU - Federico, Francesca
AU - Leggio, Maria G.
AU - Neri, Paola
AU - Mandolesi, Laura
AU - Petrosini, Laura
PY - 2006/10/16
Y1 - 2006/10/16
N2 - Experimental data support the involvement of cerebellar circuits in the acquisition of spatial procedural competences. Since the ability to acquire new procedural competences is lost when cerebellar regions are lesioned or when NMDA receptor activity is blocked, we analyzed whether the learning of explorative strategies is affected by blocking NMDA receptor activity in the presence of cerebellar lesions. To this aim, the NMDA receptor antagonist (CGS 19755, 7 mg/kg) was administered i.p. to un-lesioned rats, or rats subjected to total ablation of the cerebellum or to hemi-cerebellectomy. CGS 19755 and cerebellectomy both produced water maze behavior characterized by circling. Administration of CGS 19755 did not modify the Morris Water Maze (MWM) peripheral circling behavior of cerebellectomized animals. Circling was the dominant strategy of hemicerebellectomized animals in the absence of drugs. However, increasingly compulsive circling was observed under the action of CGS 19755. Circling was not observed if the drug-treated animals (un-lesioned or lesioned) had been previously trained. In conclusion, the NMDA antagonist caused severe impairment in the acquisition of spatial procedures, thus mimicking the consequences of cerebellar ablation on spatial procedural learning. Based on the present findings, we hypothesize that cerebellar NMDA receptor activity is involved in the acquisition of procedural spatial competence.
AB - Experimental data support the involvement of cerebellar circuits in the acquisition of spatial procedural competences. Since the ability to acquire new procedural competences is lost when cerebellar regions are lesioned or when NMDA receptor activity is blocked, we analyzed whether the learning of explorative strategies is affected by blocking NMDA receptor activity in the presence of cerebellar lesions. To this aim, the NMDA receptor antagonist (CGS 19755, 7 mg/kg) was administered i.p. to un-lesioned rats, or rats subjected to total ablation of the cerebellum or to hemi-cerebellectomy. CGS 19755 and cerebellectomy both produced water maze behavior characterized by circling. Administration of CGS 19755 did not modify the Morris Water Maze (MWM) peripheral circling behavior of cerebellectomized animals. Circling was the dominant strategy of hemicerebellectomized animals in the absence of drugs. However, increasingly compulsive circling was observed under the action of CGS 19755. Circling was not observed if the drug-treated animals (un-lesioned or lesioned) had been previously trained. In conclusion, the NMDA antagonist caused severe impairment in the acquisition of spatial procedures, thus mimicking the consequences of cerebellar ablation on spatial procedural learning. Based on the present findings, we hypothesize that cerebellar NMDA receptor activity is involved in the acquisition of procedural spatial competence.
KW - Cerebellum
KW - Navigational strategies
KW - Procedural learning
KW - Rats
KW - Spatial function
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33749259104&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33749259104&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2006.06.005
DO - 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2006.06.005
M3 - Article
VL - 70
SP - 356
EP - 367
JO - Brain Research Bulletin
JF - Brain Research Bulletin
SN - 0361-9230
IS - 4-6
ER -