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Role of Rat Neuronal Oscillations in Acquisition and Disruption of Working Memory with Acute Ethanol

Supe, Kristin Edwards
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1404732893

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
The set of experiments within this dissertation were designed to characterize neural oscillations within in vivo local field potentials recorded simultaneously from the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex of rats while performing a goal maintenance operant working memory task. Detailed behavioral and neurophysiological analyses were performed during the course of learning the task and after pharmacological challenge with acute ethanol. The primary goal was to enhance understanding of how the theta and gamma rhythms interact in the hippocampal-frontal cortex circuit to mediate successful and unsuccessful working memory performance. First, detailed behavioral analyses were performed on the operant variable delayed non-match to position goal maintenance working memory task. Most animals were able to learn the task over time. The task had sufficient simplicity and complexity to avoid most floor and ceiling effects. Results indicate that as delay increased, performance generally decreased thus validating this task as assessing working memory function. Next, neurophysiological analyses were performed on animals that eventually became fast or slow learners of the task to see if there were any early indicators predictive of good performance. Animals in the fast learning group had higher baseline theta in the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex than animals in the slow group. The medial prefrontal cortex also elicited stronger stimulus-evoked potentials than the anterior cingulate cortex. Both the medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate were more highly correlated with the ventral hippocampus in the early sessions compared to the late recording sessions, suggesting that the role of the hippocampus in the delayed non-match to position operant task may change over time. Next, performance was disrupted by administering an acute pharmacological challenge with low to moderate doses of ethanol. Ethanol was found to predictably and dose-dependently impair several aspects of performance in the task including accuracy, rate of extraneous lever pressing, and rate of omissions. Finally, the physiological correlates to the behaviorally disrupting effects of acute ethanol were investigated. In general we observed a slight increase in spectral power and hippocampal to frontal coherence at low doses and a decrease in these measures at high doses. Theta and gamma power were stronger in the medial prefrontal cortex but coherence with the ventral hippocampus was stronger in the anterior cingulate cortex. In conclusion, the operant protocol used in these experiments is a viable tool for assessing working memory in animal models. The medial prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the ventral hippocampus are all brain regions that are involved in mediating working memory. Rhythmic activity in the theta and gamma frequency ranges demonstrates changes over the course of learning and after disruption with acute ethanol. Therefore, theta and gamma rhythms remain potentially fruitful neurophysiological correlates of working memory function and dysfunction.
Bennet Givens, Ph.D (Advisor)
John Bruno, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Derick Lindquist, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
227 p.
Neurosciences; Psychobiology; Psychology
Working Memory, Delayed Non-Match to Position, Local Field Potentials, Oscillations, Theta, Gamma, Power, Coherence, Ethanol

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Supe, K. E. (2014). Role of Rat Neuronal Oscillations in Acquisition and Disruption of Working Memory with Acute Ethanol [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1404732893

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Supe, Kristin. Role of Rat Neuronal Oscillations in Acquisition and Disruption of Working Memory with Acute Ethanol. 2014. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1404732893.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Supe, Kristin. "Role of Rat Neuronal Oscillations in Acquisition and Disruption of Working Memory with Acute Ethanol." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1404732893

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1404732893
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.