Changes in the dopaminergic circuitry and adult neurogenesis linked to reinforcement learning in corvids.
The caudolateral nidopallium (NCL, an analog of the prefrontal cortex) is known to be involved in learning, memory, and discrimination in corvids (a songbird), whereas the involvement of other brain regions in these phenomena is not well explored. We used house crows (Corvus splendens) to explore the neural correlates of learning and decision-making by initially training them on a shape discrimination task followed by immunohistochemistry to study the immediate early gene expression (Arc), a dopaminoceptive neuronal marker (DARPP-32, Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr 32 kDa) to understand the involvement of the reward pathway and an immature neuronal marker (DCX, doublecortin) to detect learning-induced changes in adult neurogenesis. We performed neuronal counts and neuronal tracing, followed by morphometric analyses. Our present results have demonstrated that besides NCL, other parts of the caudal nidopallium (NC), avian basal ganglia, and intriguingly, vocal control regions in house crows are involved in visual discrimination. We have also found that training on the visual discrimination task can be correlated with neurite pruning in mature dopaminoceptive neurons and immature DCX-positive neurons in the NC of house crows. Furthermore, there is an increase in the incorporation of new neurons throughout NC and the medial striatum which can also be linked to learning. For the first time, our results demonstrate that a combination of structural changes in mature and immature neurons and adult neurogenesis are linked to learning in corvids.
Pubmed ID: 38808028 RIS Download
Research resources used in this publication
None foundAdditional research tools detected in this publication
- Neurolucida (RRID:SCR_001775)
- NBRC (RRID:SCR_002660)
- Novus Biologicals (RRID:SCR_004286)
- NEURON (RRID:SCR_005393)
- Santa Cruz Biotechnology (RRID:SCR_008987)
- Sigma-Aldrich (RRID:SCR_008988)
- Abcam (RRID:SCR_012931)
- Neurolucida Explorer (RRID:SCR_017348)
- ThermoFisher Scientific EVOS M5000 Imaging System (RRID:SCR_023650)
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Neurolucida (tool)
RRID:SCR_001775
Neurolucida is advanced scientific software for brain mapping, neuron reconstruction, anatomical mapping, and morphometry. Since its debut more than 20 years ago, Neurolucida has continued to evolve and has become the worldwide gold-standard for neuron reconstruction and 3D mapping. Neurolucida has the flexibility to handle data in many formats: using live images from digital or video cameras; stored image sets from confocal microscopes, electron microscopes, and scanning tomographic sources, or through the microscope oculars using the patented LucividTM. Neurolucida controls a motorized XYZ stage for integrated navigation through tissue sections, allowing for sophisticated analysis from many fields-of-view. Neurolucidas Serial Section Manager integrates unlimited sections into a single data file, maintaining each section in aligned 3D space for full quantitative analysis. Neurolucidas neuron tracing capabilities include 3D measurement and reconstruction of branching processes. Neurolucida also features sophisticated tools for mapping delineate and map anatomical regions for detailed morphometric analyses. Neurolucida uses advanced computer-controlled microscopy techniques to obtain accurate results and speed your work. Plug-in modules are available for confocal and MRI analysis, 3D solid modeling, and virtual slide creation. The user-friendly interface gives you rapid results, allowing you to acquire data and capture the full 3D extent of neurons and brain regions. You can reconstruct neurons or create 3D serial reconstructions directly from slides or acquired images, and Neurolucida offers full microscope control for brightfield, fluorescent, and confocal microscopes. Its added compatibility with 64-bit Microsoft Vista enables reconstructions with even larger images, image stacks, and virtual slides. Adding the Solid Modeling Module allows you to rotate and view your reconstructions in real time. Neurolucida is available in two separate versions Standard and Workstation. The Standard version enables control of microscope hardware, whereas the Workstation version is used for offline analysis away from the microscope. Neurolucida provides quantitative analysis with results presented in graphical or spreadsheet format exportable to Microsoft Excel. Overall, features include: - Tracing Neurons - Anatomical Mapping - Image Processing and Analysis Features - Editing - Morphometric Analysis - Hardware Integration - Cell Analysis - Visualization Features Sponsors: Neurolucida is supported by MBF Bioscience.
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RRID:SCR_002660
Collection of microbial resources and perform taxonomic characterization of individual microorganisms such as bacteria including actinomycetes and archaea, yeasts, fungi, algaes, bacteriophages and DNA resources for academic research and industrial applications. NBRC is a member of WFCC, OECD Global BRC Network, ACM and JSCC. They are certified by quality management system ISO 9001. To provide attractive biological resources with useful information attached, they actively collect potentially useful biological resources (microorganisms and cloned genes) and distributes them to promote basic research as well as industrial applications. At the Biological Resource Center, they explore, isolate and identify microorganisms from various natural environments and at the same time accept scientifically and industrially useful microorganisms from researchers in academic and industrial sectors. The microbial DNA library constructed at the Biotechnology Development Center is also part of their collection. To improve and expand the collection, new methodologies for the isolation, identification and preservation of microorganisms and DNA will be investigated and developed so as to provide biological resources of higher quality. Their resources serve, for example, as the standard for determining antimicrobial activity, in aseptic tests as well as for the production of pharmaceutical substances and will be constantly reinforced for wider distribution to researchers in academia and industries. Please refer to the catalog shown at the NBRC website for details.
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RRID:SCR_004286
Commercial antibody vendor which supplies antibodies and other products to life science researchers.
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RRID:SCR_005393
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RRID:SCR_008988
American chemical, life science and biotechnology company owned by Merck KGaA. Merger of Sigma Chemical Company and Aldrich Chemical Company. Provides organic and inorganic chemicals, building blocks, reagents, advanced materials and stable isotopes for chemical synthesis, medicinal chemistry and materials science, antibiotics, buffers, carbohydrates, enzymes, forensic tools, hematology and histology, nucleotides, proteins, peptides, amino acids and their derivatives.
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