Dopaminergic synapses mediate neuronal changes in an analogue of operant conditioning.

R Nargeot, D A Baxter, G W Patterson, J H Byrne

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.

Journal of neurophysiology 1999 Apr

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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.

Citation

R Nargeot, D A Baxter, G W Patterson, J H Byrne. Dopaminergic synapses mediate neuronal changes in an analogue of operant conditioning. Journal of neurophysiology. 1999 Apr;81(4):1983-7