Motor sequence learning in rodents

Studying song learning in zebra finches has provided us with valuable insights into how neural circuits underlie complex motor learning, but to what extent do our findings generalize to mammalian motor circuits? To explore how motor sequences are learned and executed by neural circuits in mammals we are using rodents. Using the viral and genetic techniques available in rodent animal models, combined with optical and electrophysiological recording techniques gives us tremendous power and flexibility in manipulating and measuring from circuits involved in motor learning.

Our approach is to teach rodents motor sequences using operant conditioning. We are currently characterizing the capacity for motor sequence learning in mice and rats. Initial experiments have been encouraging, showing that rodetns can indeed learn precisely timed motor sequences. By recording neural activity during behavior, using optical imaging techniques such as voltage sensitive dye imaging and calcium imaging, we will explore how and where information about movement sequences is encoded in the mouse motor cortex. This combined with electrophysiology and targeted manipulations of the circuit will hopefully allow us to describe how motor sequence learning is implemented by neural circuits in the mammalian brain.