Gaze recovery during vestibular regeneration

项目总结/摘要 头部运动过程中的凝视稳定是一种复杂的行为反应， 前庭系统的功能由于前庭功能丧失， 难以阅读，驾驶，或在整个生活中移动时视觉聚焦。值得注意的是，鸟类展示了 与人类不同，前庭感受器在损伤后完全自发再生。在这些 动物在再生后，前庭介导的凝视反应大部分恢复。但 包括注视特定眼睛和头部组件响应在再生后显著不同， 这表明大脑的可塑性已经重新连接了控制凝视的神经关联。为了努力 了解再生大脑可塑性，拟议的项目将检查功能恢复的 在鸽子中作为注视控制基础的特殊前庭神经类型。在特定目标1中，神经记录 前庭传入反应的运动将获得前庭病变前和四个不同的 受体再生过程中的时间点。当感受器重新产生运动信号时， 我们将描述正在恢复的信号以及在什么时间恢复的信号。具体目标2将审查中央 前庭神经元，专门控制眼睛和头部组件的凝视行为之前，期间， 再生后。投射到脊髓或眼神经中枢的前庭神经元， 其特征在于运动信号正在返回，并且大脑重新组织注视控制电路。 再生、基因疗法和修复术都在发展成为新技术， 治疗人类前庭功能丧失了解大脑如何适应这些新的运动信号将有助于 为指导新的治疗方法和康复模式提供必要的见解。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Gaze stabilization during head motion is a complex behavioral response that is highly dependent upon a functioning vestibular system. With vestibular loss, patients suffer gaze deficits that make it difficult to read, drive, or visually focus while moving throughout life. Remarkably, birds demonstrate complete spontaneous vestibular receptor regeneration following damage, unlike humans. In these animals, following regeneration, vestibular mediated gaze responses largely recover. However, the specific eye and head component responses that comprise gaze differ significantly following regeneration, suggesting that brain plasticity has re-wired the neural correlates that control gaze. In an effort to understand regenerative brain plasticity, the proposed project will examine the functional recovery of specific vestibular neural types that underly gaze control in pigeons. In Specific Aim 1, neural recordings of vestibular afferent responses to motion will be obtained before a vestibular lesion and at four distinct time points during regeneration of the receptors. As motion signals are regenerated from the receptors, we will characterize the signals being restored and at what times. Specific Aim 2 will examine the central vestibular neurons that specifically control the eye and head components of gaze behavior before, during, and after regeneration. Vestibular neurons that project to spinal cord or oculomotor centers will be characterized as motion signals are returning and the brain reorganizes gaze control circuits. Regeneration, gene therapy, and prosthetics are all developing into new technologies that will be used to treat vestibular loss in humans. Understanding how the brain adapts to these new motion signals will provide necessary insights to guide new treatment therapies and rehabilitation paradigms.