Information processing in the thalamus

描述（由申请人提供）：大量的精力被用于阐明基底神经节的功能，但几乎没有关于控制基底神经节通过丘脑输出中继的机制所知。这项研究计划的基本主旨是探索信息是如何通过丘脑核传递的，丘脑核位于斑马草雀学习鸣叫所需的基底神经节环内。这个问题很有趣，因为这个丘脑区（DLM）最重要的输入是gaba能的，对DLM神经元有强烈的抑制作用。那么，DLM如何传递gaba能量输入呢？丘脑神经元的一个强大特征可以使抑制性突触后电位（IPSPs）具有兴奋性，即抑制性后反弹。事实上，ipsp的短波已被证明可以引起DLM神经元的反弹峰值。在这项研究中，我们计划系统地探索丘脑神经元将ipsp转化为超阈值输出的能力。这些实验将对脊椎动物运动学习中重要的丘脑区域的功能以及丘脑-基底神经节接力提供强有力的见解。这些信息对于完全理解基底神经节回路是必要的，它在人类疾病如帕金森病中是病理的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An enormous amount of energy has been targeted at elucidating basal ganglia function yet almost nothing is known about the mechanisms that govern the relay of basal-ganglia output through the thalamus. The basic thrust of this research proposal is to explore how information is transferred through a thalamic nucleus, which lies within a basal ganglia loop required for song learning in zebra finches. This problem is interesting because the most substantial input to this thalamic area (DLM), is GABAergic and strongly inhibitory to DLM neurons. How, then, might DLM relay GABAergic inputs? A robust feature of thalamic neurons could render inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (IPSPs) excitatory, namely post-inhibitory rebound. In fact, short barrages of IPSPs have been shown to elicit rebound spikes in DLM neurons. In this study, we plan to systematically explore the capacity of thalamic neurons to translate IPSPs into superthreshold output. These experiments will provide powerful insight into the function of thalamic areas important for motor learning in vertebrates, as well as thalamic-basal ganglia relay. This information is necessary to completely understand basal ganglia circuitry, which is pathological in human disorders such as Parkinson's disease.