Model Systems and the Neurobiology of Associative Learning A Festschrift in Honor of Richard F. Thompson

This volume contains a collection of papers written by former students, postdoctoral fellows, and colleagues of Richard Thompson and represent written versions of papers presented at the Festschrift symposium. The Festschrift provided an excellent opportunity for the participants to recount their memories and experiences of working with one of the leading figures in behavioral neuroscience, and to place their current research in the context of earlier research conducted in the Thompson laboratory.

As a Festschrift volume, the various chapters contain numerous and sometimes very personal references to Richard Thompson's influence on the careers of the authors, as well as summaries of past and present work being conducted in the authors' laboratories. Part I includes studies of spinal cord plasticity and the involvement of the hippocampus and related structure in classical eyeblink conditioning. Part II explores the critical role of the cerebellum and associated areas in classical eyeblink conditioning. Part III focuses on a continued exploration of the involvement of the cerebellum in classical eyeblink conditioning using standard procedures as well as innovative molecular biology and genetic techniques. It also includes studies aimed at delineating modulatory influences on learning such as stress and hormonal factors.

The incredible influence that Richard Thompson has had on the fields of experimental psychology and neuroscience should be evident on reading the contributions made by the various authors to this volume. The research conducted in Thompson's laboratory over the years has been cutting-edge, comprehensive, and influential. Therefore, this volume is dedicated to Richard F. Thompson a productive, innovative scientist and outstanding mentor.

Contents: J.E. Steinmetz, M.A. Gluck, P.R. Solomon, Preface: The Career and Scientific Contributions of Richard F. Thompson. M.M. Patterson, Classical Conditioning of Spinal Reflexes: The First Seventy Years. T.J. Teyler, Forms of Associative Synaptic Plasticity. G.A. Clark, The Ins and Outs of Classical Conditioning: Maxims From a Mollusk. S.D. Berry, M.A. Seager, Y. Asaka, A.L. Griffin, The Septo-Hippocampal System and Classical Conditioning. P.R. Solomon, Model Systems and Memory: Applications and Extensions to Clinical Neuroscience. M. Gabriel, A.C. Talk, A Tale of Two Paradigms: Lessons Learned From Parallel Studies of Discriminative Instrumental Learning and Classical Eyeblink Conditioning. N.M. Weinberger, Receptive Field Plasticity and Memory in the Auditory Cortex: Coding the Learned Importance of Events. J.E. Steinmetz, The Cerebellum and Classical Eyeblink Conditioning: Much Ado About Something. D.G. Lavond, S.A. Kanzawa, Inside the Black Box. D.S. Woodruff-Pak, S.K. Lemieux, The Cerebellum and Associative Learning: Parallels and Contrasts in Rabbits and Humans. M.A. Gluck, M.T. Allen, C.E. Myers, Medial Septal Modulation of Conditioning: From Two-Stage Theories to Connectionist Models. M.R. Foy, Estrogen and Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus. T.J. Shors, The Modulation of Memory Formation by Stressful Experience and Sex Differences in the Brain. I. Daum, M.M. Schugens, Eyeblink Conditioning Impairments in Patients With Motor Disorders. M.S. Fanselow, Toward a Neurobiology of Functional Behavioral Systems: Contrasting Pavlovian Emotional and Motor Learning.