Neural circuitry of sweet taste

 描述（由申请人提供）：甜味感知的生物学功能是促进碳水化合物来源的检测并触发摄食行为。然而，关于指令进食的神经回路如何感知甜味物质中营养物质的存在，人们知之甚少。本提案中概述的研究的目的是开始填补 我们知识中的根本性空白。我们的研究旨在提供一个全面的功能电路分析甜味激活的基底神经节-主要的感觉运动 大脑的中继。我们将专门针对识别基底神经节电路，感觉到TE存在的甜味物质的营养物质。这将进一步加深我们对甜味感知如何改变生物体行为库的理解。使用小鼠作为我们的模型生物，我们将采用多学科的方法，结合行为，神经化学，电生理，光遗传学，化学遗传学和基于病毒的神经解剖追踪技术。因此，我们的具体目标是：具体目标1：表征基底神经节回路如何响应甜味化学感觉信号具体目标2：生成对甜味化学感觉信号产生行为响应的回路的功能图具体目标3：使用分子示踪技术来识别介导对营养性甜味化学感觉信号的行为响应的基底神经节子回路的下游靶点。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The biological function of sweet taste perception is to facilitate the detection of carbohydrate sources and trigger ingestive behavior. However, very little is known about how the neural circuitry that commands feeding senses the presence of nutrients in sweet substances. The aim of the studies outlined in this proposal is to start filling such fundamental gaps in our knowledge. Our investigations aim at providing a comprehensive functional circuit analysis of sweet taste activation of the basal ganglia - the major sensorimotor relay of the brain. We will specifically aim at identifying the basal ganglia circuits that sense te presence of nutrients in sweet substances. This will further our understanding of how sweet taste perception can modify the behavioral repertoire of an organism. Using the mouse as our model organism, we will employ a multidisciplinary approach that combines behavioral, neurochemical, electrophysiological, optogenetic, chemogenetic, and virus-based neuroanatomical tracing techniques. Accordingly, our Specific Aims are: Specific Aim 1: To characterize how basal ganglia circuits respond to sweet chemosensory signals Specific Aim 2: To generate a functional map of the circuits engendering behavioral responses to sweet chemosensory signals Specific Aim 3: To use molecular tracing techniques to identify the downstream targets of basal ganglia subcircuits mediating behavioral responses to nutritive sweet chemosensory signals.