Pharmacological Modulation of Perceptual Learning and Associated Cortical Reorganization

DOI Web Site 8 Citations
  • Hubert R. Dinse
    Institute for Neuroinformatics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. Department of Neurology, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany.
  • Patrick Ragert
    Institute for Neuroinformatics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. Department of Neurology, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany.
  • Burkhard Pleger
    Institute for Neuroinformatics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. Department of Neurology, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany.
  • Peter Schwenkreis
    Institute for Neuroinformatics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. Department of Neurology, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany.
  • Martin Tegenthoff
    Institute for Neuroinformatics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany. Department of Neurology, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany.

Description

<jats:p> The pharmacological basis of perceptual learning and associated cortical reorganizations remains elusive. We induced perceptual learning by Hebbian coactivation of the skin of the tip of the right index finger in humans. Under placebo, tactile two-point discrimination was improved on the coactivated but not on the left index finger. This augmentation was blocked by an <jats:italic>N</jats:italic> -methyl-D-aspartate–receptor blocker, but doubled by amphetamine. No drug effects were found on the left index finger. The individual amount of cortical reorganization as assessed by mapping of somatosensory evoked potentials was linearly correlated with the pharmacological modulation of discrimination thresholds, implying that perceptual learning and associated cortical changes are controlled by basic mechanisms known to mediate and modulate synaptic plasticity. </jats:p>

Journal

  • Science

    Science 301 (5629), 91-94, 2003-07-04

    American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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