Custom crossmodal operant chambers for rodent in vivo electrophysiology and electrochemistry

胆碱能基底前脑投射系统是一个上行性神经调节系统，提供神经化学物质乙酰胆碱到支持认知和知觉的皮层区域。因此，胆碱能基底前脑有能力对信息处理施加广泛的影响。在体内和体外非人类动物的证据表明，乙酰胆碱，通过胆碱能基底前脑传入，在神经调节能力，以增加信号-噪声比（SNR）的皮层活动时，处理传入的信息。我们假设乙酰胆碱可能是注意力的神经化学基础。选择性注意的认知机制使相关刺激的处理，同时最大限度地减少干扰或分心无关的刺激。与乙酰胆碱类似，选择性注意被认为可以增加行为相关信息的SNR。这项研究计划的总体概念目标是了解大脑灵活和动态地增强相关（信号）处理和减少不相关（噪音）处理的能力的神经化学，这两者都有助于优化目标导向行为。 所要求的自定义跨模态操作腔室将允许我们检查这一指导假设。我们在实验室里建立了一个原型，产生了可验证的数据。我们的啮齿动物，在要求的房间里，能够获得复杂的认知任务，即，一个跨通道的五个选择的系列反应时任务和波斯纳的线索检测任务。这使我们能够将人类的认知范式转化为啮齿动物，也将使我们能够完成我目前的NSERC发现奖（2011-2015）资助的研究。

The cholinergic basal forebrain projection system is an ascending neuromodulatory system that provides the neurochemical acetylcholine to cortical regions supporting cognition and perception. Thus, the cholinergic basal forebrain has the capacity to exert widespread influences on information processing. In vivo and in vitro nonhuman animal evidence have demonstrated that acetylcholine, via cholinergic basal forebrain afferents, acts in a neuromodulatory capacity to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of cortical activity when processing incoming information. We hypothesize that acetylcholine may be the neurochemical underpinnings of attention. The cognitive mechanism of selective attention enables the processing of relevant stimuli while minimizing interference or distraction from irrelevant stimuli. Similar to acetylcholine, selective attention is thought to increase SNR for behaviourally-relevant information. The overarching conceptual goal of this research program is to appreciate the neurochemistry underlying the brain's capacity to flexibly and dynamically enhance processing of the relevant (signal) and reduce processing of the irrelevant (noise), both of which contribute to optimization of goal-directed behaviour. The requested custom crossmodal operant chambers will allow us examine this guiding hypothesis. We built a prototype in the lab that has produced publishable data. Our rodents, in the requested chambers, are able to acquire complex cognitive tasks, i.e., a crossmodal five-choice serial reaction time task and Posner's cue detection task. This allows us to translate human cognitive paradigms to the rodents and will also allow us to complete the studies funded in my current NSERC Discovery award (2011-2015).