The MTL receives massive inputs from visual selleck chemicals llc cortical areas, and evidence over the last decade has consistently shown that MTL neurons respond selectively to complex visual stimuli. Here, we focus on how the activity patterns of these cells might reflect the transformation of visual percepts into long-term memories. Given the very sparse and abstract representation

of visual information by these neurons, they could in principle be considered as ‘grandmother cells’. However, we give several arguments that make such an extreme interpretation unlikely.”
“Background: Recent neurobiological studies have reported that alexithymia may result from altered brain function related to emotional processing. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been shown to regulate central nervous system development

associated with psychological processing. We investigated the possibility that polymorphism of the 5-HT transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) is associated with alexithymia. Methods: This study included 304 healthy Japanese volunteers (148 males, 156 females). The subjects were categorized according to genotype (L/L, PD0332991 in vitro L/S, S/S) and results of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Results: Subjects with the L/L genotype showed significantly higher TAS-20 scores, as well as significantly higher scores on the difficulty identifying feeling (DIE) subscale, than those with the L/S or S/S genotype (p < 0.05). There was a gender difference in the association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and DIF score. Female subjects with the L/L genotype showed significantly

higher DIF scores than those with the L/S or S/S genotype (p <= 0.001). Neither STAI nor SDS was significantly associated with the 5-HTTLPR genotype. Conclusion:These results suggest a link between low synaptic 5-HT and alexithymia. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Rationale Many theories of addictive behavior propose that cues signaling drug administration influence the likelihood of drug-taking and drug-seeking behavior.

Objectives We investigated the behavioral impact of cues associated with unsweetened ethanol selleck inhibitor and their interaction with responding maintained by ethanol self-administration. Our goal was to establish the influence of such cues on ethanol seeking.

Materials and methods The experiment used a matching contingency and saccharin-fading procedure to establish equal levels of responding to two spatially distinct levers using unsweetened 10% ethanol solution. After ethanol self-administration was established, a brief cue light located alternately over each lever location was either paired or unpaired (control) with the opportunity to consume the same ethanol solution.