Consolidation of motor memory in the vestibulo-ocular reflex.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 89
ISBN-13: 9780494213650
Description: The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes gaze during head movements. Even in this simple motor system, this study demonstrated that memory consolidation was possible. The gain of the VOR was modified using an optical method. The lability of memory was tested by rotation for one hour in darkness. Recently-formed memory was disrupted by rotation in darkness. However, memory that had formed over 3 days was not significantly affected by rotation in darkness. When an one-hour delay was imposed between the learning period and disruption, the change in VOR gain was not reversed by rotation in darkness. This result suggested that consolidation of motor memory occurred. To investigate whether the cerebellum was the site of storage of memory in the VOR, a glutamate antagonist was injected into the flocculus bilaterally after three days of learning. CNQX injections partially disrupted memory. These results suggested the cerebellum might not be essential for consolidated memory.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-03, page: 1394.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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