Habituation: Theories, Characteristics and Biological Mechanisms

184 Pages·2013·2.687 MB·English

by  Arie Buskirk

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRESS

H
ABITUATION

T , C
HEORIES HARACTERISTICS
B M
AND IOLOGICAL ECHANISMS

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N R P
EUROSCIENCE ESEARCH ROGRESS

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NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRESS

H
ABITUATION

T , C
HEORIES HARACTERISTICS
B M
AND IOLOGICAL ECHANISMS

ARIE BUSKIRK
EDITOR

New York
Copyright © 2013 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013946513

ISBN: (cid:28)(cid:26)(cid:27)(cid:16)(cid:20)(cid:16)(cid:25)(cid:21)(cid:27)(cid:19)(cid:27)(cid:16)(cid:27)(cid:22)(cid:21)(cid:16)(cid:27) (eBook)

Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. † New York
Contents

Preface vii
Chapter I Important Roles for Matrix Metalloproteinases
and Cell Adhesion Molecules in LTP, Habituation,
and Drug Addiction 1
John W. Wright, Eric S. Murphy,
Roberta V. Wiediger, Kelby L. Murphy
and Joseph W. Harding
Chapter II Habituation Theories in Current Models of Chronic
Tinnitus: Evidence and Criticism 55
N. Dauman, S. I. Erlandsson and S. G. Carlsson
Chapter III The Role of Habituation in Attention: A Theory
of Habituation Deficits in Childhood Disorders
and Traumatic Brain Injury 91
Jacqueline Massa
Chapter IV A Mathematical Description of Habituation
and Recovery of the Head-Shake Response in Rats 123
Eric S. Murphy, Kelby L. Murphy,
Joseph W. Harding and John W. Wright
Chapter V Habituation in ENT: Mechanisms and Clinical
Treatments 145
Laura Girasoli and Roberto Bovo
Index 161

Preface

Habituation is a decrease in responsiveness to a repeatedly presented
stimulus. Habituation has an important role in attention. By reducing our
sensitivity to a constant source of stimulation, it releases attention resources to
process new distinct items. In this book, the authors discuss the theories,
characteristics and biological mechanisms of habituation. Topics include the
important roles for matrix metalloproteinases and cell adhesion molecules in
long-term potentiation (LTP), habituation, and drug addiction; habituation
theories in current models of chronic tinnitus; habituation deficits in childhood
disorders and traumatic brain injury; a mathematical description of habituation
and recovery of the head-shake response in rats; and the influence that
habituation has on the sensory system and its involvement in many ENT
fields.
Chapter I – The expression of brain matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)
promotes the restructuring of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, a process
critical to reconfiguration of synaptic connections and neural plasticity.
Learning and memory is not possible without such changes specifically
designed to create new neural pathways. The present chapter considers
available findings concerning the roles of MMPs, and tissue inhibitors of
MMPs (TIMPs), in reorganizing ECM proteins that underlie long-term
potentiation (LTP), habituation, and associative learning. The authors also
consider the influence of these changes in neural plasticity as related to drug
addiction. It is suspected that these same processes are instrumental in the
acquisition, maintenance, and relapse of drug dependence. The reader is
cautioned that an understanding of the exact spatial and temporal relationship
among the mechanisms of reconfiguration of synaptic connections, LTP, and
habituation is far from complete; however, the possibility that these
viii Arie Buskirk
phenomena contribute to learning and memory as well as drug addiction is a
new and exciting direction of research. The authors conclude with thoughts on
future research directions and the value of gaining a better understanding
concerning the precise biochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms that
underlie experience driven synaptic reconfiguration.
Chapter II – Neuroscience defines tinnitus as the perception of a sound in
the ear in the absence of external stimulation (Eggermont 2012), which has
been labelled a “phantom auditory perception” (Jastreboff & Hazell 2004).
The prevalence of tinnitus in the general population is significant
(approximately 10%). It can be a threat towards quality of life of patients who
seldom benefit from medical treatment. A psychological model (in the 1980’s)
and a neurophysiological model of habituation to tinnitus (in the 1990’s) have
been proposed to enlighten the mechanisms of tolerance, which seems to occur
naturally in more than three-quarter of individuals suffering from tinnitus.
Both models are grounded on the natural inhibition to a repeated stimulus,
referring to the orienting response paradigm (psychological model) or the
classical conditioning paradigm (neurophysiological model). An analysis of
the framework and basic statements of these models is presented in this
chapter. The analogy between tinnitus and an external stimulus is questioned
from experimental data on the orienting response (OR) and the defensive
response (DR) to intrusive/aversive stimulation (Sokolov 1963; Andreassi
2007). Perspectives implying that suffering is a maladaptive response to
tinnitus are questioned from an ethical point of view.
Chapter III – Habituation is a process that enables us to attend to more
salient information in the environment by unconsciously tuning out the
familiar sensations that constantly surround us. Habituation has an important
role in attention. By reducing our sensitivity to a constant source of
stimulation, it releases attention resources to process new distinct items.
Research indicates that individuals with damage to frontal lobe brain regions
have difficulty habituating to irrelevant stimuli and their behavior is marked
by distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity. A number of common
childhood disorders, such as Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), are thought to be caused by
a disruption in frontal lobe functioning, resulting in executive dysfunction,
disinhibition, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It is also noted that
victims of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) frequently display difficulty focusing
and concentrating, as well as difficulty inhibiting the interference of irrelevant
stimuli. Theoretical models of habituation in both simple reflexes and humans
suggest that habituation is modulated by arousal and activation and is highly