Thalamic gating during sleep oscillations

我对了解意识状态的生理基础很感兴趣。在这项拟议的研究中，我们将比较意识状态与生动信息处理(清醒)、奇怪信息处理(做梦、快速眼动睡眠)和无意识状态(慢波睡眠或麻醉)期间丘脑神经元的细胞活动。 人们普遍认为丘脑皮质系统在意识状态的产生中起主导作用，丘脑是产生意识状态的主要通道。为了将外周产生的活动传递到大脑皮层，TC神经元应该产生动作电位。我的NSERC支持的项目调查了丘脑是如何向大脑皮层传递外周信息的。 TC神经元在去极化(可能是清醒和快速眼动睡眠)和超极化(可能是慢波睡眠)两种状态下都会放电。目前这项提议的工作假设是，TC神经元产生动作电位的精确时间可以区分有意义信息的传递和无意义的放电。动作电位产生的时机取决于(A)神经元的膜电位，(B)特定离子通道的存在和亚细胞定位，(C)突触的定位和效率。 目前的提议旨在研究丘脑皮质神经元产生动作电位的条件。为了实现这一目标，我们将使用体外和体内电生理技术、形态(光学和电子显微镜)技术和计算模型。 拟议的研究将提供特殊的培训机会。学生将使用多种最先进的研究技术来研究动作电位产生的基本问题。他们的培训将在研究中心(CRULRG)的优秀环境中进行，并有多个本地和国际合作。

I am interested in the understanding of physiological basis of conscious states. In the proposed study we will compare cellular activities of thalamic neurons during conscious state with vivid information processing (waking), with bizarre information processing (dreaming, REM sleep) and during unconscious states (slow-wave sleep or anesthesia). It is commonly accepted that thalamocortical (TC) system has a leading role in the generation of conscious states, with thalamus as the main gateway. In order to transmit peripherally generated activities toward cerebral cortex, the TC neuron should generate an action potential. My NSERC supported program investigates how thalamus gates transmission of peripheral information toward cerebral cortex. TC neurons fire at both depolarized (likely waking and REM sleep) and hyperpolarized (likely slow-wave sleep) states. The working hypothesis of the current proposal is that precise timing of action potential generation by TC neurons distinguishes transmission of meaningful information from meaningless firing. The timing of action potential generation depends on (a) the membrane potential of neurons, (b) the presence and sub-cellular localization of particular ioninc channels, (c) localization and efficiency of synapses. The current proposal is designed to investigate conditions of action potential generation in thalamocortical neurons. To achieve this objective, we will use in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological techniques, morphological (light and electron microscopy) techniques, and computational modeling. The proposed study will provide exceptional opportunities for training. The students will investigate basic questions of action potential generation using a multitude of state-of-art research techniques. Their training will occur in outstanding environment of the research center (CRULRG) with multiple local and international collaborations.