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

描述(由申请人提供)：本奖项建议的研究将考察空间注意力如何调节早期视觉系统中的皮质回路活动。这项拟议的研究将候选人的科学背景和未来的职业目标联系起来，通过检查在多个处理水平上对神经元活动的有意调节。意向性效应将在个体细胞水平(目标1)、局部回路水平(目标2)和大脑皮层群体水平(目标1和3)观察到。 通过采用这种新颖的方法在细胞和电路处理的背景下理解注意力，候选人将利用她研究生涯所有阶段的经验。在拟议奖项的指导阶段，候选人将同时研究1)空间注意如何调节接受丘脑传入的皮质神经元的突触效能，以及2)皮质整体活动的变化如何与注意力和非注意力状态下传入信息的到达有关。通过两位共同发起人的指导，一位是空间注意任务设计/执行/分析方面的专家，另一位是多电极记录技术/分析方面的专家，而且加州大学戴维斯分校已有大量资源，在指导阶段接受的培训对于提案独立阶段概述的长期目标将是非常宝贵的。作为一名独立的研究人员，候选人将继续使用空间注意任务和多电极记录来解决早期视觉皮质回路中的功能动力学问题。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类型和局部电路水平上不同，以及2)正在进行的大脑皮层网络活动是否以及如何影响这些有意的影响。所有建议的实验都将在清醒行为的猴子的早期视觉系统中进行，这是许多 理由。首先，虽然空间注意力影响早期的视觉系统活动，但人们对其中涉及的机制知之甚少。其次，关于灵长类动物的视觉系统有丰富的知识可用。第三，清醒行为动物范式允许评估完全认知状态下的功能。第四，也是最重要的是，灵长类动物的视觉系统与人类的视觉系统相似，因此为人类认知提供了一个理想的模型。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): 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 intentional modulation of neuronal activity at multiple processing levels. Intentional 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. During the mentored phase of the proposed award, the candidate will simultaneously examine 1) how spatial attention modulates synaptic efficacy in cortical neurons receiving afferent thalamic input, and 2) how changes in cortical ensemble activity relate to the arrival of afferent information in attentive and non-attentive states. Through the instruction of two co-sponsors, one an expert in spatial attention task design/implementation/analysis and the other an expert in multi-electrode recording techniques/analysis, and with the vast resources already available at the University of California, Davis, the training received during the mentored phase will be invaluable to the longer-term objectives outlined in the independent phase of the proposal. As an independent investigator, the candidate will continue to address questions of functional dynamics in early visual cortical circuits using spatial attention tasks and multi-electrode recording. 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 intentional 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.