Organization and Function of Visual Cortical Feedback Systems

项目摘要 视觉感知是由视网膜、视皮层和视皮层中的神经元之间的复杂相互作用介导的。 大脑皮层下结构视觉对人类和其他灵长类动物的重要性反映在 大脑皮层中有很大一部分专门处理视觉信息。因此，视觉缺陷 处理是特别衰弱，并引起异常，不仅在眼睛，而且在皮层 电路例如，儿童时期的斜视或弱视会对大脑皮层产生长期影响， 处理视觉信息的电路。也有证据表明，某些形式的诵读困难是由中枢神经系统引起的。 视觉系统异常神经系统的功能依赖于复杂的相互作用 在由跨多个皮层区域的多种神经元类型组成的神经元网络之间。拟议 研究的目的是揭示本地和远程反馈的组织和功能影响 小鼠视觉皮层区域内和之间的连接。这些研究是在老鼠身上进行的， 一系列分子、遗传和病毒工具的优势，可用于阐明大脑回路， 用光遗传学和成像方法将它们与功能联系起来。这两个目标将揭示： 连接皮层2/3和5层的V1微电路的组织，以及反馈的功能影响， 第5层到第2/3层;以及皮质-皮质反馈的组织原理和功能影响。

Project Summary Visual perception is mediated by complex interactions amongst neurons in the retina, visual cortex, and subcortical brain structures. The importance of vision to humans and other primates is reflected in the enormous percentage of cerebral cortex devoted to processing visual information. Thus, deficits in visual processing are particularly debilitating and arise from abnormalities not only in the eye, but also in cortical circuitry. For example, strabismus or amblyopia during childhood can have long-lasting effects on the cortical circuits that process visual information. There is also evidence that some forms of dyslexia result from central visual system abnormalities. The function of the nervous system is dependent on complex interactions between networks of neurons composed of multiple neuron types across multiple cortical areas. The proposed studies are aimed at revealing the organization and functional impact of local and long-distance feedback connections within and between mouse visual cortical areas. These studies are conducted in mice to take advantage of the range of molecular, genetic, and viral tools that can be used to elucidate brain circuits and link them to function using optogenetic and imaging methods. The 2 aims will reveal: the fine-scale organization of V1 microcircuits linking cortical layers 2/3 and 5, and the functional impact of feedback from layer 5 to layer 2/3; and the organizational principles and functional impact of cortico-cortical feedback.