Deconstructing Functional Circuits of Motor Cortex During Motor Learning

产生适应性身体动作是大脑的一项基本功能。初级运动皮质(M1)是 运动学习和执行的中心位置。M1接受来自几个大脑区域的远程输入，并 通过本地循环连接处理这些信息。然而，各种投入和当地 联系一起塑造M1的活动是未知的。在这项建议中，我们将调查 远程输入和局部连接对M1活动的贡献及其在运动过程中如何形成 学习。我们将使用在小鼠身上建立的运动学习范例来实现这一点。我们的中心假设是 单个M1神经元的功能特性是由它们对远程输入的反应和 局部神经元。我们进一步假设，学习诱导M1神经元的反应重组 到特定的输入。这项提案将调查M1从各种不同来源获得的信息的性质 上游区域，接受这些输入的M1神经元的独特活动模式，以及局部M1如何 网络对他们的活动模式有贡献。

Generating adaptive body movements is a fundamental function of the brain. The primary motor cortex (M1) is a central locus for motor learning and execution. M1 receives long-range inputs from several brain areas and processes this information through local recurrent connections. However, how various inputs and local connections work together to shape M1 activity is unknown. In this proposal, we will investigate the contributions of long-range inputs and local connections to M1 activity and how they are shaped during motor learning. We will do this using a well-established motor learning paradigm in mice. Our central hypothesis is that the functional properties of individual M1 neurons are defined by their responses to long-range inputs and local neurons. We further hypothesize that learning induces a reorganization of the responses of M1 neurons to specific inputs. This proposal will investigate the nature of the information that M1 receives from various upstream regions, the unique activity patterns of M1 neurons that receive these inputs, and how the local M1 network contributes to their activity patterns.