Optical Imaging of Tactile Information in S1 Cortex

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目标是研究大脑如何在大脑中编码触觉运动信息。将检查初级体感皮层（SI）不同区域内的反应（区域3a、3b、1和2）。理解它们的功能作用的核心是找出一个区域与另一个区域的区别。通过使用简单与复杂的刺激，我们的目标是区分区域的反应是密切相关的物理性质的刺激和区域的反应是不变的，更密切地反映了运动感知。我们将采用光学成像，电压敏感染料成像，BOLD功能磁共振成像，单单位记录，和解剖跟踪方法来解决这些问题。这些实验将阐明触觉行为和注意力的神经回路，理解这将对中风功能恢复和触觉假肢的发展具有临床意义。公共卫生相关性：这个提议的目的是研究大脑如何在大脑中编码触觉运动信息，特别是在初级躯体感觉皮层（SI）。这些研究将阐明触觉行为和注意力的神经回路，理解这将对中风功能恢复和触觉假体的开发具有临床意义。

Description (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to investigate how the brain encodes tactile motion information in the brain. Responses within different areas of primary somatosensory cortex (SI) will be examined (areas 3a, 3b, 1, and 2). Central to understanding their functional roles is finding out what distinguishes one area from another. By using simple versus complex stimuli, we aim to distinguish between areas whose responses are closely associated with the physical nature of the stimulus and areas whose responses are invariant and more closely reflect the motion percept. We will employ optical imaging, voltage sensitive dye imaging, BOLD fMRI, single unit recording, and anatomical tracing methods to address these questions. These experiments will elucidate the neural circuitries underlying tactile behavior and attention, understanding that will have clinical relevance for recovery of function from stroke and development of tactile prosthetics. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of this proposal is to investigate how the brain encodes tactile motion information in the brain, in particular in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI). These studies will elucidate the neural circuitries underlying tactile behavior and attention, understanding that will have clinical relevance for recovery of function from stroke and development of tactile prosthetics.