DISENTANGLING THE ROLE OF PARVALBUMIN-EXPRESSING INTERNEURONS IN STIMULUS-RESPONSE LEARNING AND COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY
Abstract
Habits enable animals to efficiently navigate their surroundings while tending to more cognitively demanding environmental factors. One mechanism underlying habit is known as stimulus-response (S-R) learning, which takes place in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). However, there is limited knowledge regarding the complex striatal microcircuits involved in S-R learning and cognitive flexibility. Recently, attention has turned toward the GABAergic Parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons that can modulate striatal outputs. Here, we utilized chemogenetic techniques and touchscreen cognitive assessments to analyze the influence of PV neurons on S-R learning in mice. When PV neurons were inhibited, during the acquisition of a S-R and cognitive flexibility cognitive assessment, there were no significant differences in the percent accuracy. Further exploratory analysis, however, revealed a significant difference in the male mice but not the female mice between the experimental groups for the acquisition of the S-R task. Furthermore, PV neuron inhibition did not affect performance of a previously acquired S-R task. These findings contribute to our understanding of what mechanisms are and are not necessary for the various cognitive functions in which the dorsal striatum is involved.