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Cholinergic modulation of visuospatial responding in central thalamus
1Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|December 20, 2007
Summary
Central thalamus plays a key role in decision-making. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central thalamus specifically influence sensory-guided actions, impacting decision processes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Cholinergic Systems
Background:
- The central thalamus connects to basal ganglia and frontal cortex, crucial for goal-directed behavior.
- Cholinergic projections from mesopontine nuclei modulate central thalamic activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the central thalamus in sensory-guided decision-making.
- To determine the specific influence of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors within the central thalamus on behavior.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained on a reaction time (RT) task involving light stimuli.
- Central thalamic and systemic administration of muscarinic (scopolamine) and nicotinic (mecamylamine) antagonists, and a GABA(A) agonist (muscimol).
- Behavioral measures included omissions, RT, and percent correct.
Main Results:
- Intrathalamic mecamylamine and muscimol impaired accuracy without affecting omissions or RT.
- Intrathalamic scopolamine increased omissions and RT, with effects not localized to the central thalamus.
- Systemic scopolamine and mecamylamine increased omissions at high doses, with mecamylamine also impairing RT and accuracy at lower doses.
Conclusions:
- The central thalamus mediates decisional processes linking sensory input to action, downstream from sensory detection.
- Nicotinic cholinergic receptors within the central thalamus specifically influence this decision-making function.
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