Summary of: Distinct Components of Spatial Learning Revealed by Prior Training and NMDA Receptor Blockade Presentation By: Carmine Ciccone Spencer Jenkyns Jared Kunar Brooke MacKinnon Malcolm Pilgrim

Overview  Four experiments to come to an accurate conclusion  What is Spatial Learning?  How does the Hippocampus play a role in spatial learning?  What is an LTP?  What role do NMDA receptors play in LTP? Brooke MacKinnon

Experiment 1 Methods  Lister rats had to complete a Morris Water Maze test  Rats were affixed with minipumps and divided into two groups: AP5 and aCSF  One trial per day and could not complete transfer tests Brooke MacKinnon

Experiment 1 Results  AP5 prevents learning  ~20µM of AP5 required to block NMDA receptors Brooke MacKinnon

Experiment 1 Conclusion  AP5 has an affect on learning the task Brooke MacKinnon

Experiment 2 Method  Rats were trained to complete a Morris Water Maze task in a training room  Minipumps with either AP5 and aCSF were added to the test rats and control rats respectively  Rats were tested in a different room than they were trained Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 2 Results  Rats that received AP5 were still able to learn  Learning was slower than control group  Both control and test rats always looked into the same quadrants as they were trained Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 2 Conclusions  Spatial pre-training ameliorated AP5 deficit  The level of AP5 given was enough for the prevention of LTP  Was not solely a drug disruption Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 3 Method  Three groups of rats were made:  Ibutenic acid lesioned group  Sham surgery group  Control group  Rats were trained in a separate room from where they were tested in Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 3 Results  Lesioned induced deficit in escaped latency and transferred test performance was apparent. Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 3 Conclusion  Spatial learning is dependant of the hippocampus in this task Malcolm Pilgrim

Experiment 4 Method  Curtains were placed around the Morris Water Maze to prevent the rats from using outside cues  Platform was placed in different locations within the water maze  Repetition of experiment 1 Carmine Ciccone

Experiment 4 Results  The AP5 Defecit returned Carmine Ciccone

Experiment 4 Conclusion  Non-spatial learning is not sufficient to prevent the AP5 deficit. Carmine Ciccone

Conclusions  Rats that were not pre-trained with AP5 showed no evidence of learning  Rats with non-spatial pre-training showed an intermediate amount of learning with AP5  Rats with spatial pre-training largely ameliorated the learning deficit Carmine Ciccone

References  Title Slide Image: static/neuron.jpg  All graphs taken from: Bannerman, D. M., Good, M. A., Butcher, S. P., Ramsay, M., & Morris, R. G. M. (1995). Distinct components of spatial learning revealed by prior training and NMDA receptor blockade. Nature, 378,