Dopaminergic synapses mediate neuronal changes in an analogue of operant conditioning

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Abstract

Feeding behavior in Aplysia can be modified by operant conditioning in which contingent reinforcement is conveyed by the esophageal nerve (E n.). A neuronal analogue of this conditioning in the isolated buccal ganglia was developed by using stimulation of E n. as an analogue of contingent reinforcement. Previous studies indicated that E n. may release dopamine. We used a dopamine antagonist (methylergonovine) to investigate whether dopamine mediated the enhancement of motor patterns in the analogue of operant conditioning. Methylergonovine blocked synaptic connections from the reinforcement pathway and the contingent-dependent enhancement of the reinforced pattern. These results suggest that dopamine mediates at least part of the neuronal modifications induced by contingent reinforcement.

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Nargeot, R., Baxter, D. A., Patterson, G. W., & Byrne, J. H. (1999). Dopaminergic synapses mediate neuronal changes in an analogue of operant conditioning. Journal of Neurophysiology, 81(4), 1983–1987. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.1999.81.4.1983

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