[The systems organization of behavior: novelty as the leading factor in the expression of early genes in the brain...

The paper deals with the analysis of the systemic mechanisms underlying behavioral activation of the family of "Immediate Early Genes" in the animal brain. These genes are the first element of genetic mechanism that starts in the cells the long-term rearrangements of transcription in response to different extracellular effects. Previously it was shown that this mechanism is involved in the processes of initiation of the cell growth and differentiation. The experimental findings of this paper demonstrated that the induction of "Immediate Early Genes" genes c-fos, c-jun and zif/286 occurs in the nervous system of various animal species in the situations of learning and environmental novelty. Activation of "Immediate Early Genes" expression is noted in the nerve cells of the numerous structures of the brain and is of systemic character. Housing of the animals in usual living conditions and using by them previously acquired habits do not result in an increased expression of these genes. On the basis of the analysis of behavioral conditions of the activation of "Immediate Early Genes" it is supposed that the critical factor of firing this genetic mechanism is a subjective "novelty" of behavioral situations for animal, i. e., initiation of mismatch of the behaviour with the acceptors of the results of an effect of the early formed functional systems.