Posterior Parietal Cortex Persistent Activity and Working Memory

后顶叶皮层持续活动和工作记忆

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-06686
• 负责人: Paré, Martin
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=661530
• 关键词: Posterior; Parietal; Cortex; Persistent; Activity

The number of things that humans can hold simultaneously in memory for a short time (our working memory) is remarkably small. The maximum is thought to be seven, as in the number of digits in a phone number, but the average is about only four! The limited capacity of our working memory depends on neural mechanisms that are distributed in the frontal and parietal lobes of our brain, but the current state of our knowledge is far from complete. On the one hand, only basic memory mechanisms have been studied because there exists no adequate animal model to study working memory capacity. On the other hand, nearly all our knowledge about these basic memory mechanisms has been obtained from studies of the frontal cortex despite all the evidence indicating that the parietal cortex also plays an important role. ******In the last tenure of this grant, we have established a new animal model to study working memory by adapting a simple procedure that has been extensively used in humans for that purpose. In this proposal, we will study the mostly unexplored neural substrate of working memory within the parietal cortex. While animals perform our novel working memory task, we will identify the neural signature of working memory from single neurons and small ensembles of neurons using microelectrodes and from large-scale populations of neurons using encephalography. In addition, we will determine the contribution of specific neurotransmitter receptors to working memory by testing the effects of drugs on performance in the behavioral task and on neural activity. ******The results of this research will have implications for the basic study of information processing taking place within and between neurons of the cerebral cortex, which can be applied to other brain functions, i.e., the limits of our perception and attention. In addition, it will allow students with diverse background - such as biology, psychology, engineering, computer and cognitive science - to gain high quality training in several experimental methods. This research experience will prepare them to enter various areas of research as emerging young leaders, thereby helping to satisfy the increasing demand for highly qualified individuals in academia and industries.**

人类能在短时间内（我们的工作记忆）同时记忆的事物数量非常少。最大值被认为是7位，就像电话号码的位数一样，但平均只有4位！我们有限的工作记忆能力取决于分布在我们大脑额叶和顶叶的神经机制，但我们目前的认识还远远不够。一方面，由于没有足够的动物模型来研究工作记忆容量，因此只研究了基本的记忆机制。另一方面，尽管所有证据表明顶叶皮层也起着重要作用，但我们对这些基本记忆机制的几乎所有知识都是从额叶皮层的研究中获得的。******在这项资助的最后任期内，我们建立了一个新的动物模型，通过采用一个简单的程序来研究工作记忆，这个程序已经在人类中广泛使用。在这个建议中，我们将研究顶叶皮层中工作记忆的大部分未开发的神经基质。当动物执行我们的新工作记忆任务时，我们将使用微电极从单个神经元和小神经元群中识别工作记忆的神经特征，并使用脑电图从大规模神经元群中识别工作记忆的神经特征。此外，我们将通过测试药物对行为任务表现和神经活动的影响来确定特定神经递质受体对工作记忆的贡献。******这项研究的结果将对大脑皮层神经元内部和神经元之间发生的信息处理的基础研究产生影响，这可以应用于其他大脑功能，即我们的感知和注意力的限制。此外，它将允许具有不同背景的学生-如生物学，心理学，工程学，计算机和认知科学-在几种实验方法上获得高质量的训练。这种研究经验将为他们作为新兴的年轻领导者进入各个研究领域做好准备，从而帮助满足学术界和工业界对高素质人才日益增长的需求