Wireless optical imaging, optogenetic stimulation and neurophysiological recording to study to neural foundations of natural freely moving behaviors in primates.

项目摘要 数十年的动物研究都是在严格控制感知的实验条件下进行的 和行为来理解大脑的功能。例如，在视觉感知的研究中， 视觉范例通常涉及不自然的长眼睛注视期和对远离视觉中心的位置的注意。 隐蔽注意（covert attention）这些动物范式需要长时间的训练（数月至一年）。 虽然这些研究极大地推进了我们对大脑功能的认识，但一个反复出现的问题是， 收集的数据与自然行为相关。今天，尖端技术的可用性和 计算能力可以使我们摆脱经典实验范式的这些限制， 新一代的神经科学问题集中在大脑如何在真实的世界环境中运作。 本项目的目标是开发一种小型无线多模态设备，用于刺激和记录域- 基于自由活动灵长类动物的皮层活动。我们将研究初级视觉皮层区的功能， 本发明涉及使用多模态装置的内在光学成像和光遗传学刺激， 摄像头和无线多点LED刺激器为了评估这种方法的功能，动物将 执行视觉检测和辨别任务。最终目标是生产多模式装置， 由现成的组件构成，提供无限制的、多区域的和靶向的（至指定的 皮质域）刺激和记录能力。该项目的成功将有助于 我们对感知和行为的皮层编码的理解，并将具有临床相关性， 脑机接口的发展。

PROJECT SUMMARY Decades of studies in animals have been conducted in conditions of strict experimental control of perception and behavior in order to understand the functions of the brain. For instance, in the study of visual perception visual paradigms often involve unnaturally long eye fixation periods and attention to locations away from the center of gaze (covert attention). These animal paradigms require long training periods (months to a year). While such studies have advanced our knowledge of brain function tremendously, a recurring question is how relevant the gathered data are to natural behavior. Today, the availability of cutting-edge technologies and computational power can free us from these limitations of the classical experimental paradigms and usher in a new generation of neuroscience questions focused on how the functioning of the brain in real world settings. The goal of this project is to develop a small wireless multimodal device for stimulating and recording domain- based cortical activity in freely moving primates. We will study the function of primary visual cortical areas with intrinsic optical imaging and optogenetic stimulation using a multimodal device that consists of a wireless camera and a wireless multisite LED stimulator. To evaluate the functionality of this approach, animals will perform visual detection and discrimination tasks. The end goal is the production of a multimodal device, constructed from off the shelf components, that provides unrestrained, multiareal and targeted (to specified cortical domains) stimulation and recording capabilities. The successful outcome of this project will contribute to our understanding of cortical encoding of perception and behavior and will have clinical relevance for the development of brain-machine interfaces.