BIOL 1F25 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Abscissa And Ordinate, Neocortex, Nucleus Accumbens
28 Mar 2016
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Animal studies looking at links between learning and drug addicion. Amphetamine or cocaine limits the ability of later experience to promote structural plasicity in the neocortex and nucleus accumbens (nac) B. kolb et al. , 2003. (canadian centre for behavioural neuroscience, uni. of lethbridge. Proceedings of the naional academy of sciences 18:10523-10528. Data from 1960s showed that experience produces more extensive branching of dendrites. Increased length of dendrites + increased density of spines: Study: set out to ind how two processes may interact. Any scieniic study: must have a reasonable raionale. Must have a testable hypothesis: must have appropriate controls. Raionale: both l + m and drugs of abuse cause structural changes in dendrites. Hypothesis: exposure to dugs e. g. cocaine might inluence later experience-dependent morphological changes in brain cells. Exposed to rich environment to simulate experience-dependent changes. Measured in nucleus accumbens (nac) 3 months ater drug or saline treatments.
