Norman M. WeinbergerResearch Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior Fellow of the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Neurobiology and Behavior |
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Research Interests |
Neurobiology of learning and memory, cortical plasticity, auditory system, cholinergic function, music | |
| URLs | Norman M. Weinberger Personal Web Page | |
| Weinberger Laboratory Web Page | ||
| Full List of Publications | ||
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Academic Distinctions |
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, American Psychological Society |
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Research Abstract |
Goals — Our goals are to understand the acquisition, retention and representation of information in the cerebral cortex that underlie behavioral memory. As memories are primarily the storage of sensory experience, we focus on the sensory systems, primarily auditory cortex. We use a three-level attack on this problem. • Identify a neural correlate having all the characteristics of memory • Determine mechanisms of induction and expression of this neural plasticity • Link the correlate and its mechanisms to behavioral memory Learning-Induced Receptive Field Plasticity — We pioneered the combined study of sensory physiology and memory by determining the effects of learning on cellular receptive fields for acoustic frequency (frequency receptive fields, RF) before and at various times after a learning episode. We discovered that conditioning produces tuning shifts from a cell’s original best frequency to the frequency of the conditioned stimulus. RF plasticity develops both in classical and instrumental conditioning with appetitive as well as aversive reinforcement and has all the characteristics of major forms of memory: associativity, specificity, rapid acquisition, indefinite long-term retention and consolidation. The auditory cortex is a locus of RF plasticity because the auditory thalamus does not exhibit these memories. Nucleus Basalis Induction of Plasticity — We hypothesized that the release of acetylcholine in the cortex, from activation of the nucleus basalis (NB), is a “store now” signal in the brain. We tested this by pairing a tone with stimulation of the NB and found that RF plasticity was also induced by this treatment; this NB-induced plasticity has the same characteristics as RF plasticity induced by behavioral training. Furthermore, it requires engagement of muscarinic receptors in the auditory cortex. Induction of Behavioral Memory by the Nucleus Basalis — As neural plasticity is not memory, which is a property of the whole animal, we have most recently been studying the direct links between NB activation during learning and actual behavioral memory. We found that pairing a tone with NB does induce actual behavioral memory. Neural Memory Codes — We hypothesize that there is a Memory Code for the acquired importance of stimuli — “The importance of the memory of a stimulus is a direct increasing function of the number of neurons that optimally process or become tuned to that stimulus.” The Memory Code hypothesis is currently being tested. Selected Publications: |
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| Publications |
Bieszczad, K.M. and Weinberger, N.M. (2009, in press). Learning strategy trumps motivational level in determining learning-induced auditory cortical plasticity. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2009.1010.1003. |
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Weinberger, N.M. (2009, in press). Reconceptualizing the primary auditory cortex: Learning, memory and specific plasticity. In: J.A. Winer and C.E. Schreiner (Eds.), The Auditory Cortex: Fundamental Neuroscience (Vol. 1). New York: Springer–Verlag. |
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Weinberger, N.M. (2009, in press). The cognitive auditory cortex. In: A.R. Palmer and A. Rees (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Auditory Science: The Auditory Brain (chap. 18, pp. 439–475). New York: Oxford University Press. |
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Butt, A.E., Chavez, C.M., Flesher, M.M., Kinney-Hurd, B.L., Araujo, G.C., Miasnikov, A.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (2009). Association learning-dependent increases in acetylcholine release in the rat auditory cortex during auditory classical conditioning. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 92(3), 400–409. PDF |
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Hui, G.K., Wong, K.L., Chavez, C.M., Leon, M.I., Robin, K.M. and Weinberger, N.M. (2009). Conditioned tone control of brain reward behavior produces highly specific representational gain in the primary auditory cortex. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 92(1), 27–34. PDF |
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Chavez, C.M., McGaugh, J.L. and Weinberger, N.M. (2009). The basolateral amygdala modulates specific sensory memory representations in the cerebral cortex. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 91(4), 382–392. PDF |
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Miasnikov, A.A., Chen, J.C. and Weinberger, N.M. (2009). Behavioral memory induced by stimulation of the nucleus basalis: Effects of contingency reversal. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 91(3), 298–309. PDF |
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Weinberger, N.M., Miasnikov, A.A. and Chen, J.C. (2009). Sensory memory consolidation observed: Increased specificity of detail over days. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 91(3), 273–286. PDF |
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Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Cortical plasticity in associative learning and memory. In: H. Eichenbaum and J.H. Byrne (Eds.), Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference (Vol. 3, chap. 3.11, pp. 187–218). Oxford: Elsevier. |
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Miasnikov, A.A., Chen, J.C. and Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Specific auditory memory induced by nucleus basalis stimulation depends on intrinsic acetylcholine. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 90(2), 443–454. PDF |
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Leon, M.I., Poytress, B.S. and Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Avoidance learning facilitates temporal processing in the primary auditory cortex. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 90(2), 347–357. PDF |
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| Liang, K., Poytress, B.S., Weinberger, N.M. and Metherate, R. (2008). Nicotinic modulation of tone-evoked responses in auditory cortex reflects the strength of prior auditory learning. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 90(1), 138–146. PDF | ||
| Miasnikov, A.A., Chen, J.C., Gross, N., Poytress, B.S. and Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Motivationally neutral stimulation of the nucleus basalis induces specific behavioral memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 90(1), 125–137. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Retuning the brain by learning, literature, and logic: Reply to Suga. Learning and Memory, 15(4), 202–207. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Cortical plasticity in associative learning and memory. In: J.H. Byrne (Ed.), Cognitive Psychology of Memory (Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, Vol. 3, chap. 3.11, pp. 187–218). Oxford: Elsevier. | ||
| Berlau, K.M. and Weinberger, N.M. (2008). Learning strategy determines auditory cortical plasticity. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 89(2), 153–166. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2007). Associative representational plasticity in the auditory cortex: Resolving conceptual and empirical problems. Debates in Neuroscience, 1(2–4), 85–98. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2007). Auditory associative memory and representational plasticity in the primary auditory cortex. Hearing Research, 229(1–2), 54–68. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2007). Associative representational plasticity in the auditory cortex: A synthesis of two disciplines. Learning and Memory, 14(1–2), 1–16. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M., Miasnikov, A.A. and Chen, J.C. (2006). The level of cholinergic nucleus basalis activation controls the specificity of auditory associative memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 86(3), 270–285. PDF | ||
| Roozendaal, B., Hui, G.K., Hui, I.R., Berlau, D.J., McGaugh, J.L. and Weinberger, N.M. (2006). Basolateral amygdala noradrenergic activity mediates corticosterone-induced enhancement of auditory fear conditioning. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 86(3), 249–255. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2006). Music and the brain. Scientific American Special Edition, 16(3), 36–43. (Reprinted) | ||
| Hui, I.R., Hui, G.K., Roozendaal, B., McGaugh, J.L. and Weinberger, N.M. (2006). Posttraining handling facilitates memory for auditory-cue fear conditioning in rats. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 86(2), 160–163. PDF | ||
| Liang, K., Poytress, B.S., Chen, Y., Leslie, F.M., Weinberger, N.M. and Metherate, R. (2006). Neonatal nicotine exposure impairs nicotinic enhancement of central auditory processing and auditory learning in adult rats. European Journal of Neuroscience, 24(3), 857–866. PDF | ||
| Miasnikov, A.A., Chen, J.C. and Weinberger, N.M. (2006). Rapid induction of specific associative behavioral memory by stimulation of the nucleus basalis in the rat. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 86(1), 47–65. PDF | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2006). Food for thought: Honeybee foraging, memory and acetylcholine. Science Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment, May 23(336), pe23. PDF | ||
| Rutkowski, R.G. and Weinberger, N.M. (2005). Encoding of learned importance of sound by magnitude of representational area in primary auditory cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(38), 13664–13669. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2004). Music and the brain. Scientific American, 291(5), 88–95. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2004). Specific long-term memory traces in primary auditory cortex. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(4), 279–290. | ||
| Hui, G.K., Figueroa, I.R., Poytress, B.S., Roozendaal, B., McGaugh, J.L. and Weinberger, N.M. (2004). Memory enhancement of classical fear conditioning by post-training injections of corticosterone in rats. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 81(1), 67–74. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2003). The nucleus basalis and memory codes: Auditory cortical plasticity and the induction of specific, associative behavioral memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 80(3), 268–284. | ||
| Rutkowski, R.G., Miasnikov, A.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (2003). Characterisation of multiple physiological fields within the anatomical core of rat auditory cortex. Hearing Research, 181(1–2), 116–130. | ||
| McLin, D.E., 3rd, Miasnikov, A.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (2003). CS-specific gamma, theta, and alpha EEG activity detected in stimulus generalization following induction of behavioral memory by stimulation of the nucleus basalis. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 79(2), 152–176. | ||
| McLin, D.E., 3rd, Miasnikov, A.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (2002). The effects of electrical stimulation of the nucleus basalis on the electroencephalogram, heeart rate, and respiration. Behavioral Neuroscience, 116(5), 795–806. | ||
| Galván, V.V., Chen, J. and Weinberger, N.M. (2002). Differential thresholds of local field potentials and unit discharges in rat auditory cortex. Hearing Research, 167(1–2), 57–60. | ||
| McLin, D.E., 3rd, Miasnikov, A.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (2002). Induction of behavioral associative memory by stimulation of the nucleus basalis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99(6), 4002–4007. | ||
| Galván, V.V. and Weinberger, N.M. (2002). Long-term consolidation and retention of learning-induced tuning plasticity in the auditory cortex of the guinea pig. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 77(1), 78–108. | ||
| Cahill, L., McGaugh, J.L. and Weinberger, N.M. (2001). The neurobiology of learning and memory: Some reminders to remember. Trends in Neurosciences, 24(10), 578–581. | ||
| Galván, V.V., Chen, J. and Weinberger, N.M. (2001). Long-term frequency tuning of local field potentials in the auditory cortex of the waking guinea pig. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2(3), 199–215. | ||
| Miasnikov, A.A., McLin, D., 3rd and Weinberger, N.M. (2001). Muscarinic dependence of nucleus basalis induced conditioned receptive field plasticity. NeuroReport, 12(7), 1537–1542. | ||
| Cruikshank, S.J. and Weinberger, N.M. (2001). In vivo Hebbian and basal forebrain stimulation treatment responses in morphologically identified auditory cortical cells. Brain Research, 891(1–2), 78–93. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (2001). Memory codes: New concept for old problem. In: P.E. Gold and W.T. Greenough (Eds.), Memory Consolidation: Essays in Honor of James L. McGaugh (chap. 16, pp. 321–342). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. | ||
| Dimyan, M.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (1999). Basal forebrain stimulation induces discriminative receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex. Behavioral Neuroscience, 113(4), 691–702. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (1998). Tuning the brain by learning and by stimulation of the nucleus basalis. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2(8), 271–273. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (1998). Physiological memory in primary auditory cortex: Characteristics and mechanisms. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 70(1–2), 226–251. | ||
| Bjordahl, T.S., Dimyan, M.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (1998). Induction of long-term receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex of the waking guinea pig by stimulation of the nucleus basalis. Behavioral Neuroscience, 112(3), 467–479. | ||
| Chernyshev, B.V. and Weinberger, N.M. (1998). Acoustic frequency tuning of neurons in the basal forebrain of the waking guinea pig. Brain Research, 793(1–2), 79–94. | ||
| Cruikshank, S.J. and Weinberger, N.M. (1996). Evidence for the Hebbian hypothesis in experience-dependent physiological plasticity of neocortex: A critical review. Brain Research Reviews, 22(3), 191–228. | ||
| Bakin, J.S. and Weinberger, N.M. (1996). Induction of a physiological memory in the cerebral cortex by stimulation of the nucleus basalis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 93(20), 11219–11224. | ||
| Bakin, J.S., South, D.A. and Weinberger, N.M. (1996). Induction of receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex of the guinea pig during instrumental avoidance conditioning. Behavioral Neuroscience, 110(5), 905–913. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M., Javid, R. and Lepan, B. (1995). Heterosynaptic long-term facilitation of sensory-evoked responses in the auditory cortex by stimulation of the magnocellular medial geniculate body in guinea pigs. Behavioral Neuroscience, 109(1), 10–17. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (1995). Dynamic regulation of receptive fields and maps in the adult sensory cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 18, 129–158. | ||
| Edeline, J.-M., Pham, P. and Weinberger, N.M. (1993). Rapid development of learning-induced receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex. Behavioral Neuroscience, 107(4), 539–551. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M., Javid, R. and Lepan, B. (1993). Long-term retention of learning-induced receptive-field plasticity in the auditory cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 90(6), 2394–2398. | ||
| Edeline, J.-M. and Weinberger, N.M. (1993). Receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex during frequency discrimination training: Selective retuning independent of task difficulty. Behavioral Neuroscience, 107(1), 82–103. | ||
| Weinberger, N.M. (1992). Beyond neuronal excitability: Receptive field analysis reveals that association specifically modifies the representation of auditory information. In: L.R. Squire and N. Butters (Eds.), Neuropsychology of Memory (2nd ed., chap. 43, pp. 496–509). New York: Guilford Press. | ||
| Lennartz, R.C. and Weinberger, N.M. (1992). Analysis of response systems in Pavlovian conditioning reveals rapidly versus slowly acquired conditioned responses: Support for two factors, implications for behavior and neurobiology. Psychobiology, 20(2), 93–119. | ||
| Lennartz, R.C. and Weinberger, N.M. (1992). Frequency-specific receptive field plasticity in the medial geniculate body induced by Pavlovian fear conditioning is expressed in the anesthetized brain. Behavioral Neuroscience, 106(3), 484–497. | ||
| Cruikshank, S.J., Edeline, J.-M. and Weinberger, N.M. (1992). Stimulation at a site of auditory–somatosensory convergence in the medial geniculate nucleus is an effective unconditioned stimulus for fear conditioning. Behavioral Neuroscience, 106(3), 471–483. | ||
| Condon, C.D. and Weinberger, N.M. (1991). Habituation produces frequency-specific plasticity of receptive fields in the auditory cortex. Behavioral Neuroscience, 105(3), 416–430. | ||
| Bakin, J.S. and Weinberger, N.M. (1990). Classical conditioning induces CS-specific receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex of the guinea pig. Brain Research, 536(1–2), 271–286. | ||
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Professional Societies |
American Association for the Advancement of Science Association for Psychological Science Association for Research in Otolaryngology Cognitive Neuroscience Society Foundation for Biomedical Research International Brain Research Organization National Society for Medical Research Pavlovian Society of America Society for Music Perception and Cognition Society for Neuroscience |
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| Graduate Programs |
Neurobiology and Behavior |
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| Research Center | Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | |
| Link to this profile | http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=2688 | |
| Last updated | 10/27/2009 | |