RIG: Behavioral, circuit and single-cell analysis of the effects of aversive experience on non-defensive behaviors

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi TX

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Exposure to aversive stimuli drives an organism to budget its behaviors by augmenting certain responses and reducing/suppressing others. Characterizing how experience differentially regulates the activity of behaviorally-relevant neural circuits is paramount to understand the means by which external stimuli produces distinct behavioral modifications. The long-term goal of this project is to analyze the effects of an aversive experience on distinct behaviors, using the mollusk Aplysia californica. This model system permits one to directly relate behavioral modifications to changes in the underlying neuronal circuits and, further, to modifications in identified neurons. When presented with repeated noxious stimuli, Aplysia exhibits a well-characterized long-term (> 24 h) learned enhancement of defensive responses (i.e., long-term sensitization, LTS) and a previously unexplored long-term suppression of a non-defensive behavior (i.e., feeding). In addition, aversive experience reduces the excitability of B51, a ?decision-making? neuron critical for the elicitation of feeding. The goals of this project are to: 1) analyze the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the long-term suppression of feeding induced by LTS training at both the circuit and single-cell levels and 2) develop an in vitro preparation that co-expresses cellular correlates of both sensitization and suppression of feeding. This project will be conducted at Texas A&M University ? Corpus Christi, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution serving the population of South Texas. The proposed research activities will contribute to broadening participation of Hispanic and other underrepresented groups, by providing neuroscience training opportunities for the students of South Texas. The experiments will be conducted mainly by graduate students, under the supervision and mentorship of the PI. Undergraduate students will also engage in neurophysiology research by participating in all the aspects of the project.