title: Classical eyeblink conditioning using electrical stimulation of caudal mPFC as conditioned stimulus is dependent on cerebellar interpositus nucleus in guinea pigs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether electrical stimulation of caudal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as conditioned stimulus (CS) paired with airpuff unconditioned stimulus (US) was sufficient for establishing eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs, and whether it was dependent on cerebellar interpositus nucleus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty adult guinea pigs were divided into 3 conditioned groups, and trained on the delay eyeblink conditioning, short-trace eyeblink conditioning, and long-trace eyeblink conditioning paradigms, respectively, in which electrical stimulation of the right caudal mPFC was used as CS and paired with corneal airpuff US. A pseudo conditioned group of another 10 adult guinea pigs was given unpaired caudal mPFC electrical stimulation and the US. Muscimol (1 μg in 1 μL saline) and saline (1 μL) were infused into the cerebellar interpositus nucleus of the animals through the infusion cannula on d 11 and 12, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3 eyeblink conditioning paradigms have been successfully established in guinea pigs. The animals acquired the delay and short-trace conditioned responses more rapidly than long-trace conditioned responses. Muscimol infusion into the cerebellar interpositus nucleus markedly impaired the expression of the 3 eyeblink conditioned responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electrical stimulation of caudal mPFC is effective CS for establishing eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs, and it is dependent on the cerebellar interpositus nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Guang-yan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zheng-li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Lang-qian
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chuang-dong
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhen-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jian-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003215:Conditioning, Eyelid / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D009118:Muscimol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D009118:Muscimol