Methods for Spatial Analysis of Microcolumns in Cortex

皮层微柱空间分析方法

• 批准号: 6942640
• 负责人: H.Eugene STANLEY
• 金额: $ 6.62万
• 依托单位: BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6942640
• 关键词: Macaca mulatta; aging; biomedical automation; cerebral cortex; cognition; digital imaging; entorhinal cortex; hippocampus; mathematical model; method development; neural degeneration; physics; prefrontal lobe /cortex; statistics /biometry

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In response to Research Topic 18. Functional Senescence: In this application we propose to adapt and validate automated, user friendly methods derived from statistical and condensed matter physics to quantify the local spatial organization of neurons in the cortex. In particular, our aim is to quantify the local microcolumnar organization of neurons by calculating the microcolumnar width, intermicrocolumnar distance, neuronal density within the microcolumn and the strength of microcolumnar order. This quantitative information on local microcolumnar organization will allow us to test the following hypotheses: (1) microcolumnar properties differ significantly across diverse cortical regions, (2) microcolumnar organization is disrupted in normal aging despite non-significant neuronal loss, (3) age-induced changes in microcolumnar organization are correlated with age-related cognitive decline. In our study we will validate and apply our methods to Nissl-stained, 30 microns thick frozen sections from three regions of the cerebral cortex: (a) area 46 of the prefrontal cortex in the lower bank of sulcus principalis, (b) area TE of the inferior temporal region below the superior temporal sulcus, and (c) area TL of the parahippocampal gyrus. These cortical regions were selected because they are potentially associated with cognitive impairments observed in normal aging and because they clearly differ in the degree of microcolumnarity when visually inspected under the microscope. We will compare the microcolumnar properties of these three regions in ten young and ten aged rhesus monkeys which have been previously behaviorally tested to assess learning, recognition memory, and executive system function. We will then use a regression analysis to determine if age-induced changes in microcolumar properties are related to alterations on any of these cognitive domains.

描述（由申请人提供）：响应研究主题18。功能性衰老： 在这个应用程序中，我们建议调整和验证自动化，用户友好的方法来自统计和凝聚态物理学，以量化的局部空间组织的神经元在皮层。特别是，我们的目的是通过计算微柱宽度，微柱间距离，微柱内的神经元密度和微柱顺序的强度来量化神经元的局部微柱组织。局部微柱组织的定量信息将使我们能够测试以下假设：（1）不同皮层区域的微柱特性显著不同，（2）微柱组织在正常老化中被破坏，尽管神经元损失不显著，（3）年龄诱导的微柱组织变化与年龄相关的认知能力下降相关。在我们的研究中，我们将验证和应用我们的方法，Nissl染色，30微米厚的冷冻切片从三个区域的大脑皮层：（a）区46的前额叶皮层在下岸的沟principalis，（B）区TE的颞下区低于上级颞沟，和（c）区TL的海马旁回。选择这些皮质区域是因为它们可能与正常衰老中观察到的认知障碍相关，并且因为在显微镜下目视检查时，它们的微柱程度明显不同。我们将比较这三个区域的微柱属性在10个年轻和10个老年恒河猴，以前已经行为测试，以评估学习，识别记忆和执行系统功能。然后，我们将使用回归分析，以确定是否年龄引起的微柱属性的变化与这些认知领域的任何改变。