Abstract
The neural mechanisms of the age-related characteristics of memory formation were studied in experiments based on a model providing an analog of a conditioned reflex to time: trace assimilation of the rhythm with which neurons in hippocampal field CA1 were stimulated, in rabbits aged 1–4 weeks and 5–6 months. Stages of changes in neuron spike activity characteristic for developing animals were described. In animals studied one week after birth, there was a predominance of silent cells and cells with low spontaneous activity. At 2–3 weeks of life, the level of spontaneous neuron activity increased, reaching adult levels by 25–30 days. The dynamics of the ontogenetic development of learning ability showed a number of stages: from virtually complete inability to form and assimilate traces of the rhythm (at age 6–7 days) to the stage of good formation and rapid forgetting (8–14 days), and, finally, the development of complete memory (25–30 days). The synchronous development of plastic rearrangements and the level of spontaneous neuron activity provided evidence of the direct involvement of the mechanisms underlying the formation of spontaneous spike activity in the organization of neural processes supporting adaptive reactions in the developing animal.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
O. S. Adrianov, “Theoretical aspects of brain ontogenesis,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 73, No. 2, 184–189 (1987).
N. N. Vasilevskii and I. P. Tsvetkova, “Morphofunctional characteristics of cortical neurons in postnatal ontogenesis in rabbits,” Zh. Evolyuts. Biokhim. Fiziol., 111, No. 4, 326–334 (1967).
L. L. Voronin and R. G. Kozhedub, Effects of the Sequelae of Rhythmic Stimulation in the Activity of Sensorimotor Cortex Neurons in Rabbits of Different Ages. The Role of the Sensory Spike Flow in Maturing Brain Function [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1987), pp. 63–67.
F. V. Kopytova, “Trace assimilation of rhythm by synaptic neurons in aged rabbits,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 42, No. 2, 341–350 (1992).
F. V. Kopytova, Yu. S. Mednikova, and E. N. Popova, “Age-related structural-functional characteristics of rabbit hippocampal neurons during the formation of temporal associations,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 53, No. 5, 604–612 (2003).
F. V. Kopytova, Yu. S. Mednikova, V. N. Khokhlova, and A. V. Isakova, “The role of spontaneous activity in forming the spike response to sensory stimuli in young and old rabbits,” in: Almanacs of Gerontology and Geriatrics [in Russian], Moscow (2004), No. 3, pp. 77–79.
P. G. Kostyuk, S. A. Fedulova, and N. S. Veselovskii, “Changes in the ionic mechanisms of the electrical excitability of the somatic membranes of sensory neurons during ontogenesis in rats. Distribution of influx ion channels,” Neirofiziologiya, 18, No. 6, 813–821 (1986).
N. A. Kryuchkova, “Electrophysiological studies of the functional characteristics of the cortical input to the hippocampus in neonatal rabbits,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 28, No. 6, 1280–1287 (1978).
N. A. Kryuchkova, “Short-and long-term potentiation in the afferent pathways of the hippocampus in neonatal rabbits,” Neirofiziologiya, 15, No. 2, 161–169 (1983).
Yu. S. Mednikova, S. V. Karnup, and M. N. Zhadin, “Cholinergic modulation of the spike responses of neurons to dendritic and somatic conduction of excitatory amino acids,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 52, No. 4, 479–488 (2002).
G. M. Mikitina, A. I. Boravova, and N. A. Kryuchkova, “The role of the sensory spike flow in the organization of the discharge activity of hippocampal neurons,” in: Neural Mechanisms of the Developing Brain [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1979), pp. 200–215.
E. N. Popova and F. A. Yakhin, The Brain, Alcohol, and Offspring [in Russian], E. G. Ulumbekov (ed.), Kazan' University Press (9994).
V. V. Raevskii, Ontogenesis of Brain Transmitter Systems Nauka, Moscow (1991).
N. B. Fedorov, “Development of the reverse inhibition system of hippocampal field CA1 in the early postnatal period,” Byull. Eksperim. Biol. Med., 110, No. 11, 451–452 (1990).
I. P. Tsvetkov, Various Aspects of the Differentiation of Limbic Structures of the Rabbit Forebrain [in Russian], Author's abstract of thesis for doctorate in biological sciences, Leningrad Sate University, Leningrad (1971).
G. Carmignoto and S. Vicin, “Activity-dependent decrease in NMDA-receptor responses during development of the visual cortex,” Science, 258, 1007–1110 (1992).
G. M. Durand, Y. Kovalchuk, and A. Konnerth, “Long-term potentiation and functional synapse induction in developing hippocampus,” Nature, 2, No. 381 (6577), 71–75 (1996).
F. M. Inglis and H. C. Fibiger, “Increase in hippocampal and frontal cortical acetylcholine release associated with presentation of sensory stimuli,” J. Neurosci., 66, 81–86 (1995).
G. M. Jenkins and D. G. Watte, Spectral Analysis and Its Applications, Holden-Day, Cambridge, London, Amsterdam (1969).
S. H. Lee and M. Sheng, “Development of neuron-neuron synapses,” Curr. Opin. Neurobiol., 10, 125–131 (2000).
R. Malinow and R. S. Malenka, “AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity,” Ann. Rev. Neurosci., 25, 123–126 (2002).
H. G. Minkwits and L. Holz, “Die ontogenetische Entwicklung von Pyramidenneuronen aus dem Hippocampus (CA1) der Ratte,” Hirnforsch., 16, No. 1, 37–54 (1975).
R. S. Petralia, J. A. Esteban, Y.-X. Wang, J. G. Partridge, H. Zhao, R. J. Wenthold, and R. Malinow, “Selective acquisition of AMPA receptors postnatal development suggests a molecular basis for silent synapses,” Nature Neurosci., 2, 31–36 (1999).
H. L. Picken Bahrey and W. J. Moody, “Early development of voltage-gated ion currents and firing properties in neurons of the mouse cerebral cortex,” J. Neurophysiol., 89, No. 4, 1761–1773 (2003).
M. Sarter and J. P. Bruno, “Cognitive functions of cortical acetylcholine toward a unifying hypothesis,” Brain Res., 23, 28–46 (1997).
P. A. Schwartzkroin and R. J. Altschuler, “Development of kitten hippocampal neurons,” Brain Res., 134, No. 3, 429–444 (1977).
J. Slavikova, F. Pedata, A. Kotas, and G. Pepeu, “Acetylcholine release from rat cortical slices during postnatal development and aging,” in: Ontogenesis of the Brain, S. Trojan and Fr. Stastny (eds.), Univ. Karlova, Prague (1987), pp. 341–344.
I. Vilagi, I. Tarnawa, and I. Banczerowskipelyhe, “Development of long-term potentiation in the somatosensory cortex of rats of different ages,” Neurosci. Lett., 2, No. 20, 141 (1992).
L. L. Voronin, “Microelectrode study of neurophysiological mechanisms of conditioning,” in: Soviet Research Reports. Brain Information Service, C. D. Woody (ed.), Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles (1976), Vol. 2.
M. N. Zadin, “On normalization of the cross-correlation function of pulse activity,” Studia Biophysica, 128, No. 2, 95–103 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
__________
Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel'nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 52–59, January–February, 2005.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kopytova, F.V. Spontaneous Activity and Rhythm Assimilation Reactions in Baby Rabbit Hippocampal Neurons During Learning: Age-Related Characteristics. Neurosci Behav Physiol 36, 227–233 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-006-0004-1
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-006-0004-1