Neurobiological Substrates of Classical Conditioning across the Life Span

Our understanding of the neurobiological circuitry for classical conditioning of the eyeblink response and other related conditioned responses in the rabbit has progressed dramatically in the last decade (Thompson, 1986; Thompson, Bcrger, Cegavske, Patterson, Roemer, Teyler & Young, 1976; Thompson, McCormick & Lavond, 1986). Evidence to date strongly suggests that two major brain structures are involved in eyeblink classical conditioning: the hippocampus and the cerebellum. The hippocampus plays a largely modulatory role in acquisition, and the cerebellum appears to be the site of the plasticity essential for learning and memory of the conditioned response. Both of these brain structures change significantly during development and aging.

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