Imaging and reversible inactivation of indirect inputs to area MT

描述（由申请人提供）：主要目标是研究视觉皮层运动计算的功能组织。灵长类动物的MT区与运动感知和眼球运动的产生密切相关，但关于其收敛输入的多个来源中的每一个的功能作用知之甚少。这一信息对我们理解神经回路如何影响感知和行为至关重要，并可能对视觉系统疾病有重要影响。拟议的研究将侧重于灵长类区域MT，并将使用可逆失活和双光子显微镜评估V2输入的具体贡献。我们将首先逆行标记从V2投射到MT的细胞，并使用双光子显微镜成像它们的活性。mt -突起细胞的视觉反应特性将被表征，并与V2内邻近和跨功能区室的其他细胞进行比较。特别感兴趣的将是被认为首先在MT中计算的响应属性，以及那些被认为通过V2而不是其他已知输入途径传递给MT的响应属性。接下来，我们将通过植入月骨沟的线圈灌注冷冻甲醇，使V2可逆失活。然后可以在有或没有活动V2的清醒猕猴中测量MT反应特性和行为表现。我们将重点研究V2在为MT提供运动方向和双眼视差信息方面的作用。这项研究将使我们更好地理解我们的大脑是如何处理视觉场景并调节我们感知移动物体的能力的。这些信息不仅阐明了健康大脑的复杂过程，而且还将为我们了解受衰老和精神疾病影响的大脑区域提供重要的见解。特别是，一些精神障碍，如精神分裂症和帕金森病在视觉运动感知方面有选择性缺陷，更好地了解这些疾病中涉及的神经机制可能有助于减轻这些症状

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary goal is to investigate the functional organization of motion computations in visual cortex. Primate area MT is intimately linked to the perception of motion and the generation of eye movements, yet little is known regarding the functional role of each of its multiple sources of convergent input. This information is critical to our understanding of how neural circuits underlie perception and behavior, and may have important implications for disorders of the visual system. The proposed studies will focus on primate area MT and will assess the specific contributions of inputs from V2 using reversible inactivation and two photon microscopy. We will first retrogradely label cells that project from V2 to MT and image their activity using two-photon microscopy. The visual response properties of MT-projecting cells will be characterized and compared to other cells nearby and across functional compartments within V2. Of particular interest will be response properties thought to be computed first within MT as well as those thought to be relayed to MT through V2 rather than other known input pathways. Next, we will reversibly inactivate V2 with chilled methanol perfused through coils implanted into the lunate sulcus. MT response properties and behavioral performance can then be measured in the awake, behaving macaque monkey with and without an active V2. Special emphasis will be given to investigating the role of V2 in providing MT with direction of motion and binocular disparity information. This research will lead to a better understanding of how our brain processes a visual scene and mediates our ability to perceive moving objects. Not only will this information elucidate the complex processes of the healthy brain, but it will also give us important insight into the brain regions affected by aging and mental disease. In particular, several mental disorders such as schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease have selective deficits in visual motion perception, and a better understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in these conditions may inform efforts to alleviate these symptoms