PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Lukowiak, K.
AU  - Colebrook, E.
TI  - Classical conditioning alters the efficacy of identified gill motor neurones in producing gill withdrawal movements in Aplysia
DP  - 1988 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Experimental Biology
PG  - 273--285
VI  - 140
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jeb.biologists.org/content/140/1/273.short
4100  - http://jeb.biologists.org/content/140/1/273.full
SO  - J. Exp. Biol.1988 Nov 01; 140
AB  - In a semi-intact preparation of Aplysia californica Cooper, classical conditioning training leads to changes in the synaptic strength at the sensory-motor neurone synapse. However, these changes are neither necessary nor sufficient to bring about the observed behavioural changes of the gill withdrawal reflex. We therefore tested whether the ability of a gill motor neurone to elicit a gill withdrawal response was altered following classical conditioning training of the reflex. We found that following classical conditioning training, the ability of a gill motor neurone to elicit a gill withdrawal response was significantly potentiated. In addition, in control preparations which did not receive classical conditioning training, the ability of a gill motor neurone to elicit a gill response was decreased. Thus, associative learning of this reflex appears to involve alteration in neuronal activity at loci distal to the sensory-motor neurone synapse.