Custom crossmodal operant chambers for rodent in vivo electrophysiology and electrochemistry

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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).