Functional Roles for Short-term Synaptic Plasticity in Neuronal Networks

这个项目的主要目标是推导出短期突触可塑性（STSP）在三种不同的计算和架构设置下如何被神经网络利用的一般原理。这些设置是由在甲壳口胃神经节（STG）、大鼠海马和皮层中产生的具体生物学例子所驱动的。具体目标包括确定起搏器驱动网络中多个抑制突触和内在细胞特性对相位维持的影响，确定多个抑制突触如何在相互连接的网络中引入多个共存的稳定放电模式，以及确定传入驱动网络中抑制性兴奋性和抑制性突触输入如何产生频率选择性，稳态和瞬态网络响应。研究人员开发并使用几何奇异摄动理论技术，将这些复杂的高维神经网络的动力学投影和分析到低维慢流形上。这些技术使他们能够理解不同的突触和内在参数如何影响和调节网络行为。他们与实验学家密切合作，在一个平行的研究项目中，他们正在调查甲壳类动物STG中突触抑制的影响。突触可塑性是指突触根据其使用而改变其强度的能力。它广泛存在于整个大脑的神经回路中。虽然短期突触可塑性（STSP）的实验研究必须集中在正在研究的神经系统的细节上，但本文提出的这种类型的建模可以提供对STSP更一般性质的见解。研究人员研究了基于网络架构如何约束STSP运行，看似独立的STSP角色可以组合在一起的可能性。阐明这些操作背后的一般原理为理解STSP如何参与大脑区域中非常多样化的神经元计算提供了一个框架。由于其跨学科性质，该项目有望引起实验、计算和分析神经科学界成员的兴趣。此外，研究人员继续教授他们最近开发的计算神经科学和数学生物学课程。研究生和本科生有机会直接与他们的实验合作者一起工作。因此，学生们可以很好地继续在实验或理论领域，或在结合两者的领域进行研究。这加强了在数学和生物学的关键交叉领域训练有素的劳动力的发展。

Bose, Booth The primary goal of this project is to derive generalprinciples that underlie how short-term synaptic plasticity(STSP) is utilized by neuronal networks in three differentcomputational and architectural settings. These settings aremotivated by concrete biological examples arising in crustaceanstomatogastric ganglion (STG), rat hippocampus, and cortex.Specific aims include determining the effect on phase maintenanceof multiple depressing synapses and intrinsic cell properties inpacemaker-driven networks, determining how multiple depressingsynapses can introduce multiple, co-existent stable firingpatterns in reciprocally-connected networks, and determining howdepressing excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs in anafferent-driven network can generate frequency-selective, steadystate, and transient network responses. The investigatorsdevelop and use techniques of geometric singular perturbationtheory to project and analyze the dynamics of these complicated,high-dimensional neuronal networks onto lower-dimensional slowmanifolds. These techniques allow them to understand howdifferent synaptic and intrinsic parameters contribute to andmodulate network behavior. They work closely withexperimentalists who, in a parallel research program, areinvestigating the effects of synaptic depression in thecrustacean STG. Synaptic plasticity refers to the ability of a synapse tochange its strength as a function of its usage. It is widelyfound in neuronal circuits across the brain. While experimentalstudies of short=term synaptic plasticity (STSP) are necessarilyfocused on the particulars of the neural system underinvestigation, modeling of the type proposed here can provideinsights into the more general properties of STSP. Theinvestigators study the possibility that seemingly independentroles for STSP can be grouped together based on how the networkarchitecture constrains STSP to operate. Elucidating the generalprinciples behind these operations provides a framework forunderstanding how STSP participates in very diverse neuronalcomputations across brain regions. Due to its interdisciplinarynature, this project is expected to be of interest to members ofthe experimental, computational and analytic neurosciencecommunities. Additionally, the investigators continue to teachcomputational neuroscience and mathematical biology courses thatthey recently developed. Graduate and undergraduate studentshave the opportunity to work directly with their experimentalcollaborators. Thus students become well positioned to continuepursuits in either experimental or theoretical fields, or in anarea that combines the two. This enhances the development of atrained workforce at the critical intersection of mathematics andbiology.