Multiscale Modeling of the Neural Subcircuits in the Outer-Plexiform Layer of the Retina

视网膜外丛状层神经子电路的多尺度建模

• 批准号: 0718308
• 负责人: Steven Baer
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0718308&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Multiscale; Modeling; Neural; Subcircuits; Outer

The retina is part of the central nervous system and an ideal region to study information processing in the brain. It is accessible, well documented, and studied by researchers spanning the clinical, experimental, and theoretical sciences. Image processing in the retina begins in the outer plexiform layer, where bipolar, horizontal, and photoreceptor cells interact. The goal of this research is to mathematically model, in detail, the subcircuits of the outer plexiform layer, capturing spatio-temporal dynamics on two spatial scales: the scale of an individual synapse and the scale of the receptive field. The availability of electrophysiological, anatomical, and molecular biological data provides a rare opportunity to develop a complex multiscale model for the system. Mathematical modeling will be used to discover the functional impact of various circuitry elements, much the way an experimentalist does with selective pharmacological agents, except that not all the agents that are needed actually exist. A primary objective is to explore two competing hypotheses for explaining synaptic feedback effects that are observed experimentally in the outer plexiform layer of the retina. Specifically, the project will investigate if feedback effects in the cone photoreceptor's synapse are driven by electrical or chemical mechanisms, or both. New insights into the understanding of retinal circuitry from this project will impact research in health and medicine, including biomedical engineering, image processing, visual psychophysics, and pharmacology. The modeling and computational techniques resulting from this project will provide efficient and innovative approaches for other problem areas in applied mathematics and engineering.

视网膜是中枢神经系统的一部分，也是研究大脑信息处理的理想区域。它是可访问的，有据可查的，并由跨越临床，实验和理论科学的研究人员进行研究。视网膜中的图像处理开始于外丛状层，其中双极细胞、水平细胞和感光细胞相互作用。 本研究的目标是数学模型，详细的外丛状层的子电路，捕捉时空动态两个空间尺度：一个单独的突触的规模和规模的感受野。电生理，解剖和分子生物学数据的可用性提供了一个难得的机会，开发一个复杂的多尺度模型的系统。 数学建模将被用来发现各种电路元件的功能影响，就像实验者对选择性药物的作用一样，只是并非所有需要的药物都存在。一个主要的目标是探索两个竞争的假说解释实验观察到的外丛状层的视网膜突触反馈效应。 具体来说，该项目将研究视锥光感受器突触中的反馈效应是否由电或化学机制驱动，或两者兼而有之。 该项目对视网膜电路理解的新见解将影响健康和医学研究，包括生物医学工程，图像处理，视觉心理物理学和药理学。该项目产生的建模和计算技术将为应用数学和工程中的其他问题领域提供有效和创新的方法。