U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Research: Brain Organization in Primitive Mammals

9500863卡斯美国-巴西合作科学计划奖资助J.卡斯博士、私家侦探和他的合作私家侦探访问田纳西州范德比尔特大学C·E·罗查·米兰达博士的实验室的旅费、消耗性研究用品和服务。巴西里约热内卢联邦。这项研究的目的是开发一个模型，说明简单、原始的哺乳动物大脑是如何根据合作系统中相互连接的功能重要区域、核和模块来组织的。这个模型可以与基于复杂的高级大脑的模型进行比较，例如高级灵长类动物的模型，以确定与复杂性和增强的性能相关的变化。该模型将基于对北美和南美负鼠的实验研究获得的数据。从早期哺乳动物的脑内铸型来看，这些变态哺乳动物的大脑在外观上几乎没有变化，因为哺乳动物的主要辐射约为65英里，而且它们提供了明显的优势，可以在美国和巴西的实验室附近获得。之前的比较研究提供了直接证据，表明负鼠的基本大脑组织比大多数现存哺乳动物的大脑组织更简单、更原始，而且利用强大的现代技术进行进一步研究可能会提供有价值的额外见解。这项研究将涉及视觉、听觉和躯体感觉系统的研究，涉及新皮质中的大多数神经元，并解决运动系统组织的关键问题，在运动系统组织中，变态哺乳动物可能没有真兽类那么复杂。微电极记录将被用来识别大脑中感觉表面的系统表示，微刺激方法将揭示运动中心。用微电极识别的大脑分区将进一步检查组织化学、构筑和分子的区别、内部微秩序和与其他系统的连接模式。这项研究计划利用了巴西实验室研究负鼠大脑的丰富经验，以及他们在表征负鼠感觉系统中神经元反应特性方面的独特经验。美国实验室的研究人员在负鼠的大脑研究方面也有相关的经验，并在大脑组织的比较研究方面拥有广泛的背景。这两个实验室的研究人员在研究程序和技术方面都有重叠和互补的经验，并对了解负鼠的大脑组织有共同的兴趣。努力的合并将使这一领域取得更大进展。***

9500863 Kaas This U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Science Program award supports travel expenses, expendable research supplies and services, related to the visits of Drs. J. Kaas, the P.I. and his co-P.I.s, all from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, to the lab of Dr. C. E. Rocha Miranda, Univ. Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The purpose of the research is to develop a model of how simple, primitive mammalian brains are organized, in terms of functionally significant areas, nuclei and modules that are interconnected within cooperative systems. This model can be compared to those based on complex, advanced brains, such as those of higher primates, to determine changes associated with complexity and enhanced performance. The model will be based on data obtained from experimental studies on North and South American opossums. The brains of these Metatherian mammals have changed little in external appearance, judging from the brain endocasts of early mammals, since the major radiation of mammals some 65 mya, and they provide the clear advantage of availability near both the U.S.A. and Brazilian laboratories. Previous comparative studies provide direct evidence that the basic brain organization of opossums is less complex and more primitive than that of most extant mammals, and that further studies using a powerful range of modern techniques could provide valuable additional insights. The research will involve studies of the visual, auditory and somatosensory systems that involve the majority of neurons in neocortex, and address critical issues of motor system organization, where Metatherian mammals may be less complex than Eutherian mammals. Microelectrode recordings will be used to identify systematic representations of sensory surfaces in the brain and microstimulation methods will reveal movement centers. Brain subdivisions, identified with microelectrodes, will be further examined for histochemical, architectonic, and molecular distinctions, intern al microorder and patterns of connection with other systems. The research plan takes advantage of the extensive previous experience of researchers in the Brazilian laboratory in studies of the brains of opossums, and their unique experience in characterizing the response properties of neurons in sensory systems of opossums. The researchers in the U.S.A. laboratory also have relevant experience in brain studies in opossums, as well as an extensive background in comparative studies of brain organization. Investigators in the two laboratories have both overlapping and complementary experience with research procedures and techniques, and a joint interest in understanding brain organization in opossums. A merger of efforts will allow for greater progress in the field. ***