CRCNS: Dynamics of thalamocortical networks during sensory discrimination

CRCNS：感觉辨别期间丘脑皮质网络的动态

• 批准号: 10656579
• 负责人: Mark Allan Reimers
• 金额: $ 14.49万
• 依托单位: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-07-01 至 2027-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10656579
• 关键词: sensory discrimination

Thalamocortical networks are critical for basic neural sensory processing and for foundational cognitive functions such as attention, perception, and working memory. Dysfunction of these networks is thought to affect symptomology of several neurological disorders and some psychiatric disorders; however, the dynamics of thalamocortical networks during everyday tasks are poorly understood even in healthy cognitive function. The thalamus is a complex aggregation of nuclei with distinct roles and connection patterns. Fundamental questions remain regarding how these many distinct nuclei interact with the various sensory, motor and association areas in cortex. In particular, the roles of higher-order thalamic nuclei, each of which projects diffusely across several cortical regions, and the role of the thalamic reticular nucleus, which inhibits most other thalamic nuclei, remain poorly understood. In order to clarify the dynamic interactions within thalamocortical networks, this study will measure activity in all dorsal regions of cortex and in many thalamic nuclei during a variety of sensory discrimination tasks, similar to those tasks commonly used for studies of cognitive function in health and disease. We will simulate impairment of several distinct thalamic regions through optogenetic inhibition to elucidate their roles in comparisons. Next, we will investigate how these dynamic interactions between the thalamic nuclei and cortical regions develop as animals begin to learn these tasks and as they acquire skilled performance. A key aspect of our design is that we will carefully monitor spontaneous motions and our analyses will control for activity in the thalamic nuclei related to these movements, which are often correlated with cognitive tasks, and would otherwise confound the analyses. This project will elucidate the roles of the different higher-order thalamic nuclei and of cortical feedback to these nuclei in gating cognitive processes across several sensory modalities. We expect these findings to yield many insights about thalamocortical network function during sensory processing, leading to greater understanding of cognitive function in the animal models used to study neurological and psychiatric disorders.

丘脑皮质网络对于基本神经感觉处理和基础认知至关重要 注意力、知觉和工作记忆等功能。这些网络的功能障碍被认为 影响多种神经系统疾病和一些精神疾病的症状；然而， 即使在健康的人中，人们对日常任务中丘脑皮质网络的动态也知之甚少。 认知功能。丘脑是具有不同作用和连接的复杂细胞核聚集体 模式。关于这些许多不同的原子核如何与 皮质中的各种感觉、运动和关联区域。特别是，高阶丘脑的作用 每个核都分散地投射到几个皮质区域，以及丘脑的作用 网状核抑制大多数其他丘脑核团，但人们对它仍知之甚少。 为了阐明丘脑皮质网络内的动态相互作用，本研究将测量活动 在各种感觉辨别任务期间，在皮质的所有背侧区域和许多丘脑核中， 类似于健康和疾病认知功能研究中常用的任务。我们将 通过光遗传学抑制模拟几个不同丘脑区域的损伤，以阐明其 比较中的角色。接下来，我们将研究丘脑之间的这些动态相互作用如何 当动物开始学习这些任务并获得熟练技能时，细胞核和皮质区域就会发育。 表现。我们设计的一个关键方面是我们将仔细监测自发运动和我们的 分析将控制与这些运动相关的丘脑核活动，这些运动通常是 与认知任务相关，否则会混淆分析。 该项目将阐明不同的高阶丘脑核和皮质反馈的作用 这些核心控制着多种感官模式的认知过程。我们期望这些发现能够 在感觉处理过程中产生关于丘脑皮质网络功能的许多见解，从而产生更大的 了解用于研究神经学和精神病学的动物模型中的认知功能 失调。