Effects of spatial attention on neuronal circuits in the early visual system

该奖项建议的研究将检验空间注意如何调节大脑皮质环路活动。 早期的视觉系统。拟议中的研究将候选人的科学背景和未来的职业生涯联系起来 目的研究多个加工阶段对神经元活动的注意调节作用。注意力集中 将在单个细胞水平(目标1)、局部电路水平(目标2)和大脑皮层观察效果 人口一级(目标1和3)。通过使用这种新颖的方法来理解 在蜂窝和电路处理的背景下，应聘者将利用她所有阶段的经验 研究生涯。候选人即将完成指导阶段，在此阶段她已收到 从她的两个共同赞助商那里得到了出色的指导，并从可用资源中受益匪浅 加州大学戴维斯分校。根据目标1中列出的实验计划，候选人有 成功地测量了注意调节突触效能和大脑皮层整体活动。这个 候选人已经成功地在注意任务和多神经元记录方面进行了改进 这些技术将极大地帮助她过渡和未来作为一名独立调查员取得成功。在.期间 独立阶段，候选人将继续解决早期视觉中的功能动力学问题 使用这些改进的空间注意任务和多电极记录技术的大脑皮层回路。这些 实验将进一步探索1)空间注意的影响是否以及如何在不同的神经细胞之间存在差异 类型和局部电路水平，以及2)持续的皮质网络活动是否以及如何影响这些 注意力效应。所有提出的实验都将在清醒行为的早期视觉系统中进行 猴子是一种理想的模式，原因有很多。首先，虽然空间注意会影响早期的视觉系统 活动，人们对所涉及的机制知之甚少。其次，有丰富的知识可用 关于灵长类的视觉系统。第三，清醒行为的动物范式允许评估 在完全认知状态下的功能。第四，也是最重要的，灵长类的视觉系统类似于 从而为人类的认知提供了一个理想的模型。

The research proposed for this award will examine how spatial attention modulates cortical circuit activity in the early visual system. The proposed studies link the candidate's scientific background and future career objectives by examining attentional modulation of neuronal activity at multiple processing stages. Attentional effects will be observed at the individual cellular level (Aim 1), the local circuit level (Aim 2), and the cortical population level (Aims 1 and 3). By employing this novel approach toward understanding attention within the context of cellular and circuit processing, the candidate will draw upon experience across all phases of her research career. The candidate is nearing completion of the mentored phase where she has received outstanding mentorship from her two co-sponsors and has greatly benefited from the resources available at the University of California, Davis. According to the experimental plan laid out in Aim 1, the candidate has successfully measured attentional modulation of synaptic efficacy and cortical ensemble activity. The candidate has successfully implemented improvements in the attentional task and multi-neuron recording techniques which will greatly aid her transition and future success as an independent investigator. During the independent phase, the candidate will continue to address questions of functional dynamics in early visual cortical circuits using these improved spatial attention tasks and multi-electrode recording techniques. These experiments will further explore 1) whether and how the effects of spatial attention differ across neuronal cell types and local circuit levels, and 2) whether and how ongoing cortical network activity influences these attentional effects. All experiments proposed will be undertaken in the early visual system of awake-behaving monkeys, an ideal model for a number of reasons. First, while spatial attention influences early visual system activity, little is known about the mechanisms involved. Second, there is a wealth of knowledge available about the primate visual system. Third, the awake-behaving animal paradigm allows for the assessment of functionality in the fully cognizant state. Fourth, and most importantly, the primate visual system is similar to that of humans and therefore provides an ideal model for human cognition.