Research on the function of the nucleus accumbens, the most ventral component of the striatal complex, has traditionally focused on locomotor activity, reward, motivation and addiction. However, based on the existence of projections to the nucleus accumbens from the allocortical regions involved in spatial navigation, it has been suggested that this structure plays a role in spatial learning and memory. Lesion and neuropharmacological studies confirm this view, also revealing the complex dynamics of the receptors involved in these processes. Moreover, the effects of post-training intra-nucleus accumbens drug administrations demonstrate the necessity of off-line neural activity within this structure in order to consolidate spatial memory. Blockade of molecular processes implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-induced transcription or extracellular matrix remodeling, provides further experimental support to this hypothesis. These observations imply that experience-dependent synaptic plasticity responsible for long-term stabilization of spatial information might occur within the nucleus accumbens, similarly to what has been observed in the hippocampus. This suggests that a comprehensive understanding of spatial memory processing should be viewed in the context of a wider neural circuit.

Spatial memory, plasticity and nucleus accumbens / Rinaldi, Arianna; Alberto, Oliverio; Mele, Andrea. - In: REVIEWS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES. - ISSN 0334-1763. - ELETTRONICO. - 23:5-6(2012), pp. 527-541. [10.1515/revneuro-2012-0070]

Spatial memory, plasticity and nucleus accumbens

RINALDI, ARIANNA;MELE, Andrea
2012

Abstract

Research on the function of the nucleus accumbens, the most ventral component of the striatal complex, has traditionally focused on locomotor activity, reward, motivation and addiction. However, based on the existence of projections to the nucleus accumbens from the allocortical regions involved in spatial navigation, it has been suggested that this structure plays a role in spatial learning and memory. Lesion and neuropharmacological studies confirm this view, also revealing the complex dynamics of the receptors involved in these processes. Moreover, the effects of post-training intra-nucleus accumbens drug administrations demonstrate the necessity of off-line neural activity within this structure in order to consolidate spatial memory. Blockade of molecular processes implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-induced transcription or extracellular matrix remodeling, provides further experimental support to this hypothesis. These observations imply that experience-dependent synaptic plasticity responsible for long-term stabilization of spatial information might occur within the nucleus accumbens, similarly to what has been observed in the hippocampus. This suggests that a comprehensive understanding of spatial memory processing should be viewed in the context of a wider neural circuit.
2012
dopamine; creb; long-term depression; long-term potentiation; glutamate plasticity; longterm depression
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Spatial memory, plasticity and nucleus accumbens / Rinaldi, Arianna; Alberto, Oliverio; Mele, Andrea. - In: REVIEWS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES. - ISSN 0334-1763. - ELETTRONICO. - 23:5-6(2012), pp. 527-541. [10.1515/revneuro-2012-0070]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/488067
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