CRCNS: Collaborative Research: The role of inhibition and correlated dynamics in cortical visual processing

CRCNS：协作研究：抑制和相关动力学在皮层视觉处理中的作用

• 批准号: 1308174
• 负责人: Woodrow Shew
• 金额: $ 36.13万
• 依托单位: University of Arkansas
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-10-01 至 2017-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1308174&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CRCNS; Collaborative; Research; role; inhibition

The cerebral cortex is comprised of two competing types of brain cells: inhibitory neurons tend to suppress brain activity while excitatory neurons do the opposite. This project will illuminate principles governing the balance of inhibition versus excitation. Focusing on the role of inhibition, the project will test the hypothesis that a particular intermediate level of inhibition is optimal for sensory information processing, because it places the cortex network in a special operating regime called criticality. When inhibition is too high, cortical neurons are suppressed and act largely independently. When inhibition is too low neurons are hyperactive and act largely in unison. Neither extreme is conducive to effective information processing. However, gradually decreasing inhibition from a high level can result in an abrupt onset of correlated, intense activity among the neurons. The tipping point of this onset is called criticality. Importantly, computer models and cortex slice investigations predict that at criticality certain types of information processing are optimized. However, the potentially pivotal role of criticality in processing real sensory input in an intact sensory system remains untested. Such tests will be undertaken here in an in vitro whole-brain preparation that allows the researchers to precisely manipulate levels of global inhibition, record cortical activity with microelectrode arrays for many hours, and stimulate the retina with naturalistic images. Employing novel, statistically rigorous, multifaceted, quantitative tests of criticality, the proposed research will determine the roles of inhibition and criticality in intact cortex during visual processing. Specifically, the experiments are designed to determine whether information transfer from visual stimulus to cortical response is maximized at an intermediate level of inhibition which manifests as criticality.This project represents the first experimental test of the hypothesized functional benefits of criticality in real sensory processing. It builds on a strong conceptual foundation combining statistical physics and computational neuroscience, and may open a new paradigm for investigating cortical visual processing in large neural networks. This new paradigm is particularly relevant in light of emerging new technologies that enable the recording of activity from thousands of neurons. From the medical perspective this contribution is significant because it is expected to illuminate the etiology of numerous brain disorders with abnormal inhibition. Finally, the project brings the excitement of research into Missouri and Arkansas high schools with teacher training and classroom presentations. Newly fostered interest in STEM research will be assessed by longitudinal measures.

大脑皮层由两种相互竞争的脑细胞组成：抑制性神经元倾向于抑制大脑活动，而兴奋性神经元则相反。 这个项目将阐明控制抑制与兴奋平衡的原则。 该项目将重点关注抑制的作用，测试一个假设，即特定的中间抑制水平对感觉信息处理是最佳的，因为它将皮层网络置于一个称为临界的特殊操作机制中。 当抑制作用太强时，皮层神经元受到抑制，并在很大程度上独立发挥作用。当抑制太低时，神经元过度活跃，并且在很大程度上一致行动。这两种极端都不利于有效的信息处理。然而，从高水平逐渐降低抑制可能导致神经元之间相关的强烈活动的突然发作。 这种开始的临界点被称为临界。 重要的是，计算机模型和皮层切片研究预测，在临界状态下，某些类型的信息处理是最优化的。然而，在一个完整的感觉系统中，临界性在处理真实的感觉输入中的潜在关键作用仍然没有得到验证。这些测试将在体外全脑准备中进行，使研究人员能够精确地操纵全局抑制水平，用微电极阵列记录皮层活动数小时，并用自然图像刺激视网膜。采用新的，严格的统计，多方面的，定量的测试临界性，拟议的研究将确定在视觉加工过程中的抑制和临界性在完整的皮层的作用。 具体来说，实验的目的是确定是否从视觉刺激到皮层反应的信息传递是最大化的中间水平的抑制，表现为criticality.This项目代表了第一个实验测试的假设功能优势的关键性在真实的感觉加工。它建立在统计物理学和计算神经科学相结合的强大概念基础上，并可能为研究大型神经网络中的皮层视觉处理开辟新的范式。鉴于新兴的新技术能够记录数千个神经元的活动，这种新范式尤其相关。从医学的角度来看，这一贡献是显着的，因为它有望阐明许多大脑异常抑制疾病的病因。 最后，该项目通过教师培训和课堂演示，将研究的兴奋带到了密苏里州和阿肯色州的高中。 对STEM研究的新兴趣将通过纵向措施进行评估。