About the Memory Theme
Research
Memory Theme Members
Associate Professor Brian Hyland
Department of Physiology
brian.hyland@otago.ac.nz
http://osms.otago.ac.nz/physiology/staff/hyland.html
Role of dopamine in learning and memory
The activity of midbrain dopamine neurons is postulated to provide a prediction-error signal for reward mediated learning, and may also be important for extinction learning and memory. We are investigating this in classical conditioning using single-unit recording of dopamine cells and their target neurons, in-vivo electrochemical measurement of dopamine release in terminal fields, and computer modelling.
Selected Publications
Hyland, B. I., Reynolds, J. N. J., Hay, J., Perk, C. G. and Miller, R., 2002. Firing modes of midbrain dopamine cells in the freely moving rat. Neuroscience. 114, 475-492.
Pan, W. X. and Hyland, B. I., 2005. Pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus controls conditioned responses of midbrain dopamine neurons in behaving rats. J Neurosci. 25, 4725-4732.
Pan, W. X., Schmidt, R., Wickens, J. R. and Hyland, B. I., 2005. Dopamine cells respond to predicted events during classical conditioning: evidence for eligibility traces in the reward-learning network. J Neurosci. 25, 6235-6242.
Reynolds, J. N. J., Hyland, B. I. and Wickens, J. R., 2001. A cellular mechanism of reward-related learning. Nature. 413, 67-70.
Wickens, J. R., Reynolds, J. N. and Hyland, B. I., 2003. Neural mechanisms of reward-related motor learning. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 13, 685-690.
Supported by
- Neurological foundation
- Marsden Fund
- Lotteries Health