Changes in Membrane and Threshold Potentials of Command Neurons in Terrestrial Snail during Development of a Conditioned Situational Defensive Reflex

Bull Exp Biol Med. 2020 Apr;168(6):709-712. doi: 10.1007/s10517-020-04785-x. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Abstract

Changes of the electrical characteristics of command neurons of defensive behavior caused by the development of a conditioned situational defensive reflex were studied experimentally under in vitro conditions on preparations of the nervous system of snails. After learning, the membrane and threshold potentials of command neurons LPa3 and RPa3 significantly decreased and excitability of the studied neurons increased.

Keywords: associative learning; identified neurons; membrane potential; threshold potential.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Association Learning / physiology*
  • Conditioning, Classical / physiology*
  • Electroshock
  • Helix, Snails / cytology
  • Helix, Snails / physiology*
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology*
  • Microelectrodes
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Reflex / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology