Abstract
Histological sections of the mammalian striatum reveal a 'matrix' that is histochemically distinguishable from patches, or 'striosomes'. The latter are cross sections of a compartment that consists primarily of tube-shaped structures radiating through the matrix. As a test of the hypothesis that the function of the striosome/patch compartment includes the mediation of behaviors related to reward, the present study examined electrical self- stimulation of the caudoputamen in rats with electrodes in either of the two compartments. Rats acquired and maintained bar-pressing responses that were contingent on stimulation through electrodes making contact with striosomes/patches more reliably than animals with electrodes terminating exclusively in the matrix. The results provide in vivo evidence that the striosome/patch compartment is functionally differentiated from the matrix compartment: Stimulation centered in or around the striosome/patch compartment but not in the matrix led to rapid acquisition of a new behavior.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 6486-6491 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Volume | 95 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 26 1998 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Caudate nucleus
- Matrix
- Neural Plasticity
- Putamen
- Reinforcement
- Reward
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General