Synaptic Processing in the Olfactory System

嗅觉系统中的突触处理

基本信息

批准号：
7850304
负责人：
JEFFRY S ISAACSON
金额：
$ 9.8万
依托单位：
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2009
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2009-07-17 至 2010-06-30
项目状态：
已结题

项目摘要

Whether it be the aroma of our morning coffee or the scent of a lover, the sense of smell is a critical feature of daily life. The long-term objective of our research is to understand how olfactory information is processed in the mammalian brain. To address this question, we study the properties of neuronal circuits and synapses in the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex, which are the first sites in the brain where olfactory information is processed. Our unifying hypothesis is that understanding the synaptic mechanisms of olfactory circuits is important for revealing how the brain encodes our sense of smell. The experiments proposed employ an in vitro brain slice preparation of the rat anterior piriform cortex. We also use a novel slice preparation in which the olfactory bulb remains attached to the cortex. Piriform cortex pyramidal cells and interneurons will be visualized using infrared differential interference optics. We will study these cells using whole-cell patch clamp recording and imaging of intracellular calcium concentration. Specific Aim 1 proposes to characterize the fundamental mechanisms governing the transfer of sensory information from the olfactory bulb to the cortex. We hypothesize that individual mitral cells can make strong connections onto piriform pyramidal cells and that the synaptic integration of relatively few mitral cell inputs underlies feature detection in piriform cortex. Specific Aim 2 proposes to investigate the role of local inhibitory circuits in shaping synaptic integration in piriform cortex. We hypothesize that feedforward and feedback inhibitory interneurons regulate synaptic integration and spike output during physiologically relevant patterns of olfactory bulb input. Specific Aim 3 proposesto investigate population coding using imaging of cell activity in olfactory bulb-piriform cortex slices. We hypothesize that temporal and spatial patterns of pyramidal cell activity can encode information regarding the timing and localization of olfactory input in the olfactory bulb.These experiments will provide new insight into the synaptic mechanisms underlying olfaction in the brain.

无论是我们早上咖啡的香气还是情人的气味，嗅觉都是至关重要的日常生活的特征。我们研究的长期目标是了解嗅觉信息的方式在哺乳动物的大脑中进行处理。为了解决这个问题，我们研究了神经元电路的特性和嗅球和嗅觉皮层中的突触，它们是大脑中的第一个嗅觉的位置信息已处理。我们统一的假设是了解嗅觉的突触机制电路对于揭示大脑如何编码我们的嗅觉很重要。该实验提出的实验采用大鼠前梨状皮层的体外脑切片制备。我们还使用一种新型的切片制剂，其中嗅球保持在皮质上。梨状皮质锥体细胞和中间神经元将使用红外差分干扰物进行可视化。我们将使用全细胞贴片夹记录和细胞内钙的成像研究这些细胞专注。特定目标1提出了特征的基本机制从嗅球到皮质的感觉信息。我们假设单个二尖瓣可以在锥形锥体细胞上建立牢固的连接，并且相对较少的突触整合二尖瓣输入基础是梨状皮层中的检测。具体目标2提议调查角色局部抑制回路在塑形皮层中塑造突触整合的过程中。我们假设该进料在生理上，反馈抑制性中间神经元调节突触整合和尖峰输出嗅球输入的相关模式。特定目的3提议使用细胞活性的成像嗅球皮层切片中的成像。我们假设那个时间和空间金字塔细胞活性的模式可以编码有关嗅觉的时间和定位的信息这些实验将提供有关突触机制的新见解大脑中的基础嗅觉。