title: Adaptive enhancement of learning protocol in hippocampal cultured networks grown on multielectrode arrays.
abstract: Learning in neuronal networks can be investigated using dissociated cultures on multielectrode arrays supplied with appropriate closed-loop stimulation. It was shown in previous studies that weakly respondent neurons on the electrodes can be trained to increase their evoked spiking rate within a predefined time window after the stimulus. Such neurons can be associated with weak synaptic connections in nearby culture network. The stimulation leads to the increase in the connectivity and in the response. However, it was not possible to perform the learning protocol for the neurons on electrodes with relatively strong synaptic inputs and responding at higher rates. We proposed an adaptive closed-loop stimulation protocol capable to achieve learning even for the highly respondent electrodes. It means that the culture network can reorganize appropriately its synaptic connectivity to generate a desired response. We introduced an adaptive reinforcement condition accounting for the response variability in control stimulation. It significantly enhanced the learning protocol to a large number of responding electrodes independently on its base response level. We also found that learning effect preserved after 4-6 h after training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurodynamics and Neurobiology, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pimashkin
authors.forename: Arseniy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gladkov
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mukhina
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kazantsev
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: closed-loop; hippocampal cultures; learning in neural networks; learning in vitro; multielectrode arrays