title: Dopaminergic synapses mediate neuronal changes in an analogue of operant conditioning.
abstract: Feeding behavior in Aplysia can be modified by operant conditioning in which contingent reinforcement is conveyed by the esophageal nerve (E n.). A neuronal analogue of this conditioning in the isolated buccal ganglia was developed by using stimulation of E n. as an analogue of contingent reinforcement. Previous studies indicated that E n. may release dopamine. We used a dopamine antagonist (methylergonovine) to investigate whether dopamine mediated the enhancement of motor patterns in the analogue of operant conditioning. Methylergonovine blocked synaptic connections from the reinforcement pathway and the contingent-dependent enhancement of the reinforced pattern. These results suggest that dopamine mediates at least part of the neuronal modifications induced by contingent reinforcement.
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy and W.M. Keck Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Nargeot
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Baxter
authors: G W
authors: GW
authors: Patterson
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000166:cytology; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology; D008755:Methylergonovine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009055:Mouth / Q000294:innervation; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010507:Periodicity; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D004298:Dopamine; D008755:Methylergonovine