[The effect of conditioning on the ultrastructural distribution of synaptic vesicles in the hippocampus of the rat]

J Hirnforsch. 1981;22(4):453-63.
[Article in German]

Abstract

In three months old male Wistar-rats the influence of conditioning (brightness discrimination reaction) on the number and distribution of vesicles of the synapses in the stratum radiatum (CA 3) of the hippocampus were investigated. A total of 15 rats (5 trained rats, 5 passive and 5 active controls) were studied by the aid of electron microscopic and morphometric methods. The number of synaptic vesicles was evaluated for the passive controls by 27 vesicles per synaptic area. In the CA 3-region 70 minutes after training the calculation of the number of synaptic vesicles revealed a significant decrease in comparison with passive and active controls (16 and 32 vesicles per synaptic area, respectively; significant difference at p less than 0.05). The volume of the synaptic vesicles was reduced for the trained rats by 20-25% in comparison with controls. The morphological results after training could be correlated with the changes of the Ach fractions, and seem to be of great significance at the initial stages of memory formation.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Conditioning, Operant / physiology*
  • Discrimination Learning / physiology
  • Hippocampus / anatomy & histology*
  • Mental Recall / physiology
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Synapses / ultrastructure
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Synaptic Vesicles / ultrastructure*
  • Visual Perception / physiology

Substances

  • Acetylcholine