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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
Published on: June 2, 2014
Learning twice is different from learning once and from learning more
M Cammarota1, L R M Bevilaqua, C Köhler
1Laboratorio de Neuroreceptores, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias Prof. Dr. Eduardo de Robertis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires CP 1121, Argentina.
Abstract:
The rat hippocampus plays a crucial role in the consolidation of a variety of memories, including that for a one trial inhibitory avoidance learning task in which stepping down from a platform is associated with a footshock. Here we show that this is the case regardless of the intensity of the footshock used and hence, of the strength of the learned response. However, additional learning produced by a second training session in this task does not involve the hippocampus but, instead, the striatum. Memory consolidation of the second trial requires glutamate alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate, N-methyl-D-aspartate and metabotropic receptors, activation of signaling pathways, gene expression and protein synthesis in the striatum, as are required in the hippocampus during memory consolidation of the first trial.
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