Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons
We analyzed operant discrimination in detelencephalated pigeons and neuroanatomical substrates after long-term detelencephalation. In Experiment I, experimental pigeons with massive telencephalic ablation and control pigeons were conditioned to key peck for food. Successive discrimination was made u...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2003-01-01
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| Series: | Neural Plasticity |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/NP.2003.247 |
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| author | S. M. Cerutti S. Diaz-Cintra L. Cintra E. A. M. Ferrari |
| author_facet | S. M. Cerutti S. Diaz-Cintra L. Cintra E. A. M. Ferrari |
| author_sort | S. M. Cerutti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We analyzed operant discrimination in
detelencephalated pigeons and neuroanatomical
substrates after long-term detelencephalation.
In Experiment I, experimental pigeons with
massive telencephalic ablation and control
pigeons were conditioned to key peck for food.
Successive discrimination was made under
alternating red (variable-ratio reinforcement)
and yellow (extinction) lights in one key of the
chamber. These relations were interchanged
during reversal discrimination. The sessions
were run until steady-state rates were achieved.
Experiment II analyzed the morphology of the
nucleus rotundus and optic tectum in long-term
detelencephalated and control birds, using a
Klüver-Barrera staining and image analyzer
system. Detelencephalated birds had more
training sessions for response shaping and
steady-state behavior (p<0.001), higher red key
peck rates during discrimination (p<0.01), and reversal discrimination indexes around 0.50.
Morphometric analysis revealed a decreased
number of neurons and increased vascularity,
associated with increases in the perimeter
(p<0.001)
in the nucleus rotundus. In the optic
tectum, increases in the perimeter (p<0.05)
associated with disorganization in the layers
arrangement were seen. The data indicate that
telencephalic systems might have an essential
function in reversal operant discrimination
learning. The structural characteristics of subtelencephalic
systems after long-term detelencephalation
evidence plastic changes that
might be related to functional mechanisms of
learning and neural plasticity in pigeons. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76b585d6afa048908968d55f2eee7706 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-5904 1687-5443 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2003-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neural Plasticity |
| spelling | doaj-art-76b585d6afa048908968d55f2eee77062025-02-03T01:26:31ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432003-01-0110424726610.1155/NP.2003.247Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in PigeonsS. M. Cerutti0S. Diaz-Cintra1L. Cintra2E. A. M. Ferrari3Laboratório de Sistemas Neurais e Comportamento, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofisica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, BrazilInstituto de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Neurobiologia Del Desarrollo Y Neurofisiologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, MexicoInstituto de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Neurobiologia Del Desarrollo Y Neurofisiologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, MexicoLaboratório de Sistemas Neurais e Comportamento, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofisica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, BrazilWe analyzed operant discrimination in detelencephalated pigeons and neuroanatomical substrates after long-term detelencephalation. In Experiment I, experimental pigeons with massive telencephalic ablation and control pigeons were conditioned to key peck for food. Successive discrimination was made under alternating red (variable-ratio reinforcement) and yellow (extinction) lights in one key of the chamber. These relations were interchanged during reversal discrimination. The sessions were run until steady-state rates were achieved. Experiment II analyzed the morphology of the nucleus rotundus and optic tectum in long-term detelencephalated and control birds, using a Klüver-Barrera staining and image analyzer system. Detelencephalated birds had more training sessions for response shaping and steady-state behavior (p<0.001), higher red key peck rates during discrimination (p<0.01), and reversal discrimination indexes around 0.50. Morphometric analysis revealed a decreased number of neurons and increased vascularity, associated with increases in the perimeter (p<0.001) in the nucleus rotundus. In the optic tectum, increases in the perimeter (p<0.05) associated with disorganization in the layers arrangement were seen. The data indicate that telencephalic systems might have an essential function in reversal operant discrimination learning. The structural characteristics of subtelencephalic systems after long-term detelencephalation evidence plastic changes that might be related to functional mechanisms of learning and neural plasticity in pigeons.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/NP.2003.247 |
| spellingShingle | S. M. Cerutti S. Diaz-Cintra L. Cintra E. A. M. Ferrari Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons Neural Plasticity |
| title | Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic
Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons |
| title_full | Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic
Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons |
| title_fullStr | Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic
Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic
Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons |
| title_short | Operant Discriminative Learning and Evidence of Subtelencephalic
Plastic Changes After Long-Term Detelencephalation in Pigeons |
| title_sort | operant discriminative learning and evidence of subtelencephalic plastic changes after long term detelencephalation in pigeons |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/NP.2003.247 |
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