[Activity of anterolateral motor cortex neurons in instumental food-acquisition and alcohol-acquisition behavior]

Singleunit activity of anterolateral area of motor cortex in rabbits subjected to chronic ethanol treatment was recorded to study interconnections of neuronal mechanisms of newly formed instrumental alcohol-acquisition behavior (IAB) and previously formed food-acquisition behavior (IFB). Adult animals were trained to perform IFB in experimental cage equipped with two food boxes and two pedals situated in the corners of the cage. Food was presented automatically in a food box after the pressing of an appropriate pedal. Same rabbits after 9 mo. of chronic alcohol treatment were trained to perform IAB in the same experimental cage (gelatin capsules filled with 15% ethanol solution were placed into the food box instead of food). Activity of 121 units of anterolateral area of motor cortex was studied. Each unit discharges were analysed in IAB as well as in IFB. The data obtained testifies that neuronal sets subserving IAB and IFB overlap but not completely. 44 "common" neurons permanently activated in both behaviors and 3 neurons specifically activated in each of behaviors (one in IAB and two in IFB) were found. We consider the formation of IAB as systemogenesis that is related to the consolidation processes: the formation of new neuronal specializations and to the accommodative re-consolidation: modification of early specialized cells ("common"). It is shown in the Discussion that present experiments help us not only understand interconnections of neuronal mechanisms of newly formed IAB and early formed IFB but also provide an additional insight into the nature of similarity between neuronal mechanisms of long-term memory and long-lived modifications resulting from repeated drug exposure.