| Autor: |
Kippenberger S; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Pipa G; Institute of Cognitive Science, University Osnabrück, 49074 Osnabrück, Germany., Steinhorst K; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Zöller N; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Kleemann J; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Özistanbullu D; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Kaufmann R; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany., Scheller B; Department of Anesthesia, St. Josefs-Hospital, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany. |
| Abstrakt: |
Propofol belongs to a class of molecules that are known to block learning and memory in mammals, including rodents and humans. Interestingly, learning and memory are not tied to the presence of a nervous system. There are several lines of evidence indicating that single-celled organisms also have the capacity for learning and memory which may be considered as basal intelligence. Here, we introduce a new experimental model for testing the learning ability of Physarum polycephalum , a model organism frequently used to study single-celled "intelligence". In this study, the impact of propofol on Physarum 's "intelligence" was tested. The model consists of a labyrinth of subsequent bifurcations in which food (oat flakes soaked with coconut oil-derived medium chain triglycerides [MCT] and soybean oil-derived long chain triglycerides [LCT]) or propofol in MCT/LCT) is placed in one of each Y-branch. In this setting, it was tested whether Physarum memorized the rewarding branch. We saw that Physarum was a quick learner when capturing the first bifurcations of the maze; thereafter, the effect decreased, perhaps due to reaching a state of satiety. In contrast, when oat flakes were soaked with propofol, Physarum 's preference for oat flakes declined significantly. Several possible actions, including the blocking of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor signaling, are suggested to account for this behavior, many of which can be tested in our new model. |
