STRUCTURE/FUNCTION RELATIONSHIPS IN VISUAL CORTEX

这项研究计划的长期目标是了解 构成信息基础的结构/功能关系 外侧膝状体核（LGN）和视觉的处理 皮质，以及两个大脑区域之间的相互关系。 这里提出的实验将解决有关细胞的问题 存在于LGN中的类型，影响它们的机制 信号处理和视觉皮层中的细胞连接。 实验的动力是发现了一种新型的X- 中继细胞（术语滞后，或X细胞）在LGN A层，其 功能和结构特性不同于其他X继电器 细胞（称为非滞后细胞，或X细胞），似乎反映了 与细胞结构相关的膝状体内抑制机制。 目前的目标是了解更多关于生理和 这两个膝状体X细胞群的形态学特性， 来识别接受它们的皮层细胞。 的 Y细胞的性质和投影，其中可能还包含 滞后和非滞后组也将进行检查。 具体目标如下：（1）进一步表征 对滞后和非滞后LGN细胞的抑制作用。 (2)到 研究这些细胞中的双眼相互作用以及 这些相互作用对细胞视觉反应特性的影响。 （三） 为了揭示脑干网状结构在 调节滞后和非滞后中继细胞的活性，以及 不同类型的中间神经元可能参与 这种调制。 (4)为了揭示细胞之间的关系， 目标1- 10中检查的形态和生理特性 3. (5)为了揭示GABA能抑制在产生 滞后LGN细胞的视觉反应特性。 (6)到 确定滞后和非滞后细胞的皮层连接 在区域17的层4中，以及（7）使所述膜的形态可视化， 这些传入神经所接触的皮层细胞。 标准 细胞外记录、视觉和电刺激方法 并且细胞内染色将用于实现这些目的。 还将使用标准药理学方法来完成 目标#5。 所获得的结果将揭示重要的洞察结构 视觉信息处理的功能机制 在LGN和视觉皮层。

The long-range goal of this research program is to understand structure/function relationships that underlie information processing in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and visual cortex, and the interrelationships between the two brain regions. Experiments proposed here will address questions about the cell types which exist in the LGN, the mechanisms which affect their signal processing, and the cells' connections in visual cortex. The impetus for the experiments is the finding of a new type of X- relay cell (term lagged, or X cells) in the LGN A-laminae, whose functional and structural properties differ from other X-relay cells (termed non-lagged, or X - cells) and which appear to reflect intrageniculate inhibitory mechanisms related to cell structure. The present goal is to learn more about the physiological and morphological properties of these two geniculate X-cell groups and to identify the cortical cells which receive from them. The properties and projections of Y-cells, which probably also contain lagged and non-lagged groups, will be examined as well. Specific aims are as follows: (1) To characterize further the inhibitory influences on lagged and non-lagged LGN cells. (2) To examine binocular interactions in these cells and the influence of these interactions on the cells' visual response properties. (3) To reveal the role of the brainstem reticular formation in modulating the activity of lagged and non-lagged relay cells, and the potential involvement of different types of interneurons in this modulation. (4) To reveal the relationships between cells' morphologies and the physiological properties examined in aims 1- 3. (5) To reveal the role of GABAergic inhibition in generating the visual response properties of lagged LGN cells. (6) To determine the cortical connections of lagged and non-lagged cells in layer 4 of area 17, and (7) to visualize the morphologies of the cortical cells which these afferents contact. Standard extracellular recording, visual and electrical stimulation methods and intracellular staining will be used to accomplish these aims. Standard pharmacological methods also will be used to accomplish aim #5. The results obtained will reveal important insight into structural and functional mechanisms underlying visual information processing in LGN and visual cortex.