Interneuronal mechanisms underlying a learning-induced switch in a sensory response that anticipates changes in behavioural outcomes

How an animal responds to a particular sensory stimulus will to a great extent depend on prior experience associated with that stimulus. For instance, aversive associative learning may lead to a change in the predicted outcomes, which suppresses the behavioural response to an otherwise rewarding stimulus. However, the neuronal mechanisms of how aversive learning can result in the suppression of even a vitally important innate behaviour is not well understood. Here we used the model system of Lymnaea stagnalis to address the question of how an anticipated aversive outcome can alter the behavioural response to a previously effective feeding stimulus. We found that aversive classical conditioning with sucrose as the CS (conditioned stimulus) and strong touch as the aversive US (unconditioned stimulus) reverses the decision so that the same salient feeding stimulus inhibits feeding, rather than activating it. Key to the understanding of the neural mechanism underlying this switch in the behavioural response is the PlB (pleural buccal) extrinsic interneuron of the feeding network whose modulatory effects on the feeding circuit inhibit feeding. After associative aversive training, PlB is excited by sucrose to reverse its effects on the feeding response. Aversive associative learning induces a persistent change in the electrical properties of PlB that is both sufficient and necessary for the switch in the behavioural output. In addition, the strong touch used as the US during the associative training protocol can also serve as a sensitizing stimulus to lead to an enhanced defensive withdrawal response to a mild touch stimulus. This non-associative effect of the strong touch is probably based on the facilitated excitatory output of a key identified interneuron of the defensive withdrawal network, PeD12.