Motor Learning and Synaptic Plasticity in the Cerebellum

This book is concerned with the involvement of the cerebellum in learning and remembering motor tasks. It is unique in discussing plasticity at both the cellular and at the behavioral level.

Paul J. Cordo (Edited by), Curtis Calvin Bell (Edited by), Stevan R. Harnad (Edited by)

9780521597050, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 November 1997

212 pages, 62 b/w illus. 3 tables
27.9 x 21.6 x 1.6 cm, 0.51 kg

"...provides an excellent review of contemporary research on the cerebellum in motor learning. It succeeds in making a significant contribution toward clarifying unresolved and controversial issues through informed commentaries and the replies to them from the original authors...an informative book that communicates the current state of cerebellum research." Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

This book is concerned with the involvement of the cerebellum in learning and remembering the ability to carry out motor tasks such as walking, riding a bicycle, and speaking. Processes of plasticity have been identified at the cellular level in the cerebellum that could underlie the learning of motor tasks but whether they actually have such a role is controversial. This book is unique in bringing together studies of plasticity at the cellular level with studies of plasticity or learning at the behavioral level and in attempting to build bridges between these two levels of discourse. The book will appeal to neuroscientists and physiologists interested in the neural control of movement.

1. Introduction: motor learning and synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum C. Bell, P. Cordo and S. Harnad
2. Cerebellar mechanisms of long-term depression in the cerebellum F. Crépel, N. Hemart, D. Jailler and H. Daniel
3. Long-lasting potentiation of GABAergic inhibitory synaptic transmission in cerebellar Purkinje cells: its properties and possible mechanisms Masanobu Kano
4. Nitric oxide and synaptic plasticity: NO news from the cerebellum Steven R. Vincent
5. Models of the cerebellum and motor learning James C. Houk, Jay T. Buckingham and Andrew Barto
6. On climbing fiber signals and their consequence(s) J. I. Simpson, D. R. Wylie and C. I. De Zeeuw
7. Does the cerebellum learn strategies for the optimal time-varying control of joint stiffness? Allan M. Smith
8. On the specific role of the cerebellum in motor learning and cognition: clues from PET activation and lesion studies in man W. T. Thach
Open Peer Commentary
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Neurosciences [PSAN], Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology [JMM]