Research Article

Neuroplasticity of the Sensorimotor Cortex during Learning

Figure 4

Figure and Figure legend taken and modified from [72] with permission. (a) shows the average percentage of successful reaches for both control and ZIP groups during initial learning and relearning after injection into the sensorimotor cortex. After reaching asymptotic levels of success, the animals were injected with either saline or ZIP. After 4 days rest, the animals were tested on the reaching task. Following the initial decline in performance to naive levels, the ZIP-injected rats relearned the task, and there was no significant difference between the initial learning and the relearning curves of the ZIP-injected rats (b); ANCOVA 𝑃 = 0 . 8 0 , slope; 𝑃 = 0 . 3 5 , 𝑦 intercept). This suggests that there were no significant memory savings or damage to the cortex due to the injections, as also indicated from the lack of change in the control animals’ performance after-injection. Histological analysis of brain sections indicates the spread of ZIP did not extend into subcortical regions, but encompasses several areas involved in skilled reaching including M1, M2, and S1 limb regions, see (Figure 3(b)) from [72].
310737.fig.004a
(a)
310737.fig.004b
(b)