Integrated touchscreen system for behavioural testing in mice

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Human conscious experience arises from the perception of stimuli originating from multiple sensory sources. An important question in the field of neuroscience relates to the brain mechanisms involved in the integration of multisensory information into meaningful representations. The proposed research will use rodent models to study the neural mechanisms of multisensory information processing. Specifically, we will study the neural bases of crossmodal object recognition, the ability of an animal to recognize a previously-explored object when it is presented in a different sensory modality. We have shown that rats can recognize an object visually when it has only previously been explored by touch. Our proposed research will assess the interactive brain circuitry involved in this adaptive form of cognition. A second type of behavioural task will use computerized touchscreen-equipped chambers to measure the effects of brain manipulations on direct multisensory integration. For example, human studies indicate that reaction times are significantly facilitated by the simultaneous presentation of behaviourally relevant auditory and visual stimuli. We will use touchscreen chambers to develop mouse versions of this kind of multisensory integration task. These chambers will enable us to run experiments more efficiently and flexibly and will facilitate cross-species comparisons with human findings. With these tasks established, we will begin to test genetically modified mice to assess the impact on multisensory integration of selective deletion of various neurotransmitter receptors. Animal studies like these are essential in enabling us to observe cause and effect relationships between neural manipulations and behavioural changes. As such, our research program should help to shed light on the brain mechanisms underlying multisensory integration, a cognitive ability whose adaptive advantage impacts numerous vital psychological functions, including perception, memory, language, emotion, and consciousness. This research program will therefore generate knowledge that will contribute to our understanding of the basic functions of the mammalian brain and which may inform efforts to optimize human cognitive function.