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NEUROSCIENCE AND LEARNING: LESSONS FROM STUDYING THE INVOLVEMENT OF A REGION OF CEREBELLAR CORTEX IN EYEBLINK CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Author(s) -
Villarreal Ronald P.,
Steinmetz Joseph E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.2005.96-04
Subject(s) - eyeblink conditioning , neuroscience , cerebellar cortex , associative learning , classical conditioning , psychology , cognitive science , computer science , cerebellum , conditioning , statistics , mathematics
How the nervous system encodes learning and memory processes has interested researchers for 100 years. Over this span of time, a number of basic neuroscience methods has been developed to explore the relationship between learning and the brain, including brain lesion, stimulation, pharmacology, anatomy, imaging, and recording techniques. In this paper, we summarize how different research approaches can be employed to generate converging data that speak to how structures and systems in the brain are involved in simple associative learning. To accomplish this, we review data regarding the involvement of a particular region of cerebellar cortex (Larsell's lobule HVI) in the widely used paradigm of classical eyeblink conditioning. We also present new data on the role of lobule HVI in eyeblink conditioning generated by combining temporary brain inactivation and single‐cell recording methods, an approach that looks promising for further advancing our understanding of relationships between brain and behavior.