Developmental Studies of Limbic Lesions, Learning, and      Memory
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
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This project concerns the effects of brain damage in infants,                   using infant rats as a model system.  The brain area under                      investigation is the limbic system, portions of which have been                 implicated in several intellectual and emotional functions.                     Damage to this area, and particularly to portions of it called                  the hippocampal formation and the amygdala, has been shown in                   adult animals to affect (a) various forms of memory, (b)                        distractibility, and (c) a tendency to persist or perseverate                   in the face of indications that behavior will not be rewarded or                will be punished.                                                                                                                                               Studies of these kinds have been done in adult animals, but never               before in infants.  Important questions are whether or not limbic               lesions will affect infants in the same way, and, if they do,                   whether or not these effects will survive into adulthood.                                                                                                       Dr. Amsel and his colleagues have developed a "behavioral assay"                to test infant learning and performance.  They have identified,                 for infant rats in the 10- to 25-day age range, the ages at which               each of a family of learned behavioral effects can first be                     observed to occur.  These effects reflect memory, perseveration,                and the ability to alter behavior in relation to changed                        contingencies of reward, frustration, and punishment.  Having                   this information in hand, the researchers will now attempt to                   relate lesions in various limbic areas to the age of occurrence                 of their established behavioral effects.  They will also address                the question of whether or not there is recovery of function,                   that is to say, whether or not behavioral deficits ascribable to                a lesion in infancy will still be present if the animal is tested               in adolescence or as an adult.                                                                                                                                  The brain damage is produced by three kinds of treatments:                      electrolytic lesions, chemical lesions, and x-irradiation.  The                 first kind of lesion produces a rather general pattern of damage;               the other two attack more specific and localizable cell groups.                 In this way, Dr. Amsel may be more able to relate brain structure               to behavioral function.
{'FirstName': 'Abram', 'LastName': 'Amsel', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Abram Amsel', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000389761', 'StartDate': '06/15/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Texas at Austin', 'CityName': 'AUSTIN', 'ZipCode': '787121139', 'PhoneNumber': '5124716424', 'StreetAddress': '110 INNER CAMPUS DR', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Texas', 'StateCode': 'TX', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '25', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'TX25', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'V6AFQPN18437', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
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[{'Code': '116000', 'Text': 'IBN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR'}, {'Code': '116100', 'Text': 'NEUROBIOLO OF LEARNING & MEMOR'}]
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