CRCNS: Information processing in cerebral cortex for visual-oculomotor behavior

CRCNS：大脑皮层视觉动眼行为的信息处理

• 批准号: 9126567
• 负责人: Michael J Mustari
• 金额: $ 22.15万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9126567
• 关键词: Accounting; Address; Area; Attention; Behavior; Brain; Brain region; Cerebral cortex; Cerebrum; Clinical Sciences; Communication; Communities; Complex; Computer Simulation; Data; Data Analyses; Databases; Dependence; Dependency; Diagnostic; Disease; Educational process of instructing; Electric Stimulation; Electrodes; Eye Movements; Feedback; German population; Germany; Goals; Group Meetings; Halorhodopsins; Health; Human; Human Development; Information Theory; Institution; Knowledge; Laboratories; Lesion; Macaca; Methods; Mission; Modeling; Motor; Neurobiology; Neurons; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; Output; Parietal; Parietal Lobe; Pathway interactions; Perception; Performance; Play; Postdoctoral Fellow; Primates; Process; Prosthesis; Reflex action; Reflex eye movement; Research; Rhodopsin; Role; Schools; Scientist; Sensory; Signal Transduction; Smooth Pursuit; Statistical Methods; Structure; Students; System; Techniques; Testing; Training; Translations; Universities; Vision; Visual; Visual Acuity; Washington; Work; aging brain; area MT; base; behavioral response; cognitive process; comparative; computational neuroscience; disability; experience; frontal eye fields; frontal lobe; improved; information processing; innovation; neuromechanism; neurophysiology; novel; oculomotor; oculomotor behavior; optogenetics; outreach; programs; relating to nervous system; research study; response; simulation; visual motor; visual process; visual processing; white matter

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primate visual and oculomotor system allows tracking of small visual objects and large moving visual scenes to support optimal visual acuity and visual motor behavior. We use volitional smooth pursuit (SP) eye movements and reflex-like optokinetic (OKR) eye movements to support visual function. Both classes of tracking eye movements require cerebral cortical processing of visual inputs to create initial commands for eye movements. Volitional SP and OKR behaviors offer important perspectives on neural mechanisms that produce sensory-motor behavior, perception and cognitive processing. Our studies focus on the frontal eye fields (FEF) and parietal cortex (MSTd, MSTl, MT), which have been shown to play a role in SP, OKR and perception. However, the information passed between these areas during tracking eye movements remains unknown. Our studies will address this gap in knowledge by providing the first comparative data on visual, eye movement and task related signals carried in feedforward and feedback pathways between frontal and parietal cortex. We will apply novel computational approaches for data analysis, model the functional contributions of frontal and parietal cortex to tracking eye movements, and finally test the model predictions using electrical stimulation and optogenetic techniques to reversibly perturb signaling in this cortical-cortical network. There are extensive cortical-cortical connections between brain regions but we lack specific information about the role of these connections in complex sensory-motor behavior. Our studies are organized under 3 specific aims to experimental and computational approaches that build on information theory and related statistical methods to account for how different signals (e.g., visual, eye movement) are combined and interact to support purposeful behavior. Our experimental work provides novel neurophysiological data taken from frontal and parietal cortical neurons that we identify as projecting from one brain region to another and 2) the experimental results will be directly compared to simulations developed in computational models of cortico-cortical interaction. Our studies have particular intellectual merit in comparing and contrasting different computational approaches for analyzing frontal and parietal cortical neurons simultaneously. We are developing computational models that are capable of predicting eye movement output using neuronal tuning functions determined experimentally. Scientific: In our study we will extend existing, as well as develop novel computational approaches for analyzing dependencies between neuronal firing and behavior. Advancing our understanding of how different cortical areas interact to support sensory-motor transformation and perception has broad scientific applications in normal and pathological neural systems. For example, white matter lesions commonly seen in the aging brain and in other disorders of cortical-cortical communication are poorly understood. Our studies could contribute fundamental knowledge to advance brain-driven neuronal prostheses. Our work could also improve our diagnostic possibilities for eye movement deficits. Dissemination: Our studies take place at the University of Washington's National Primate Research Center (WANPRC) in Seattle and at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich. WaNPRC and UW are known for excellence in primate neuroscience research. The LMU is ranked among the best German universities. LMU was among the first to establish the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) in Germany. Both of our respective institutions are known as leading centers for research and teaching in neuroscience. The LMU is hosting the Graduate School for Systemic Neuroscience (GSN). The UW reaches out to broader academic community at multiple levels through e.g., the multi-disciplinary Neurobiology and Behavior program and Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD). Outreach: The PIs are actively involved in their institutions' research and teaching missions. This allows us to provide experimental experience and training for computational scientists in Munich and training in computational research for experimental scientists from UW in Seattle. We provide opportunities for students, postdoctoral fellows and mature scientists through group meetings where results will be presented to a broader audience. The PIs and Co-Is are actively involved in local science and clinical translation.

 描述（由申请人提供）：灵长类动物的视觉和眼动系统允许跟踪小的视觉对象和大的移动视觉场景，以支持最佳的视觉敏锐度和视觉运动行为。我们使用意志平滑追踪（SP）眼动和反射样视动（OKR）眼动来支持视觉功能。这两类跟踪眼球运动都需要大脑皮层对视觉输入进行处理，以创建用于眼球运动的初始命令。意志SP和OKR行为提供了重要的观点，产生感觉运动行为，知觉和认知加工的神经机制。我们的研究集中在额眼区（FEF）和顶叶皮层（MSTd，MSTl，MT），这已被证明在SP，OKR和知觉中发挥作用。然而，在跟踪眼球运动期间这些区域之间传递的信息仍然未知。我们的研究将通过提供关于额叶和顶叶皮层之间前馈和反馈通路中携带的视觉、眼动和任务相关信号的第一个比较数据来解决这一知识差距。我们将应用新的计算方法进行数据分析，模拟额叶和顶叶皮层对跟踪眼球运动的功能贡献，并最终测试 该模型预测使用电刺激和光遗传学技术来可逆地扰乱该皮质-皮质网络中的信号传导。 大脑区域之间存在广泛的皮质-皮质连接，但我们缺乏关于这些连接在复杂的感觉-运动行为中的作用的具体信息。我们的研究是根据3个具体目标组织的，这些目标是建立在信息论和相关统计方法基础上的实验和计算方法，以解释不同信号（例如，视觉、眼球运动）被组合并相互作用以支持有目的的行为。我们的实验工作提供了从额叶和顶叶皮质神经元获取的新的神经生理学数据，我们将其识别为从一个大脑区域投射到另一个区域，2）实验结果将直接与皮质-皮质相互作用的计算模型中开发的模拟进行比较。我们的研究在比较和对比同时分析额叶和顶叶皮层神经元的不同计算方法方面具有特别的智力价值。我们正在开发能够使用实验确定的神经元调谐函数预测眼动输出的计算模型。 科学：在我们的研究中，我们将扩展现有的，以及开发新的计算方法来分析神经元放电和行为之间的依赖关系。推进我们对不同皮层区域如何相互作用以支持感觉-运动转换和感知的理解，在正常和病理神经系统中具有广泛的科学应用。例如，在老化的大脑和其他皮质-皮质通讯障碍中常见的白色物质病变知之甚少。我们的研究可以为推进脑驱动神经元假体提供基础知识。我们的工作还可以提高我们对眼动缺陷的诊断可能性。 传播：我们的研究在位于西雅图的华盛顿大学国家灵长类动物研究中心（WANPRC）和位于慕尼黑的路德维希-马克西米利安大学（LMU）进行。WaNPRC和UW以其在灵长类神经科学研究方面的卓越成就而闻名。LMU是德国最好的大学之一。LMU是最早在德国建立伯恩斯坦计算神经科学中心（BCCN）的机构之一。我们各自的机构都被称为神经科学研究和教学的领先中心。LMU是主办系统神经科学研究生院（GSN）。华盛顿大学在多个层面上接触到更广泛的学术界，例如，多学科神经生物学和行为计划以及人类发展和残疾中心（CHDD）。 外展：主要研究员积极参与其机构的研究和教学任务。这使我们能够为慕尼黑的计算科学家提供实验经验和培训，并为西雅图的UW实验科学家提供计算研究培训。我们通过小组会议为学生，博士后研究员和成熟的科学家提供机会，将结果展示给更广泛的受众。PI和Co-Is积极参与当地科学和临床翻译。