视网膜直接投射到杏仁核的神经通路结构和功能研究

大量实验证据提示，脑内许多非视觉核团接受视网膜神经节细胞（RGC）的直接投射，而这些核团在处理和调控感知觉和情绪活动中起重要作用。杏仁核是调控情感的关键核团之一，它可能通过快速和粗略的方式加工并处理情感相关视觉信息（AVI）。这是当前AVI研究进展中最受学界重视的假说。但迄今为止，虽有RGC直接投射到内侧杏仁核（medial Amygdala, meA）的形态学结果，但仍缺乏这条直接通路参与处理AVI并调控情绪的关键证据。本项目拟以蒙古沙鼠为实验对象，采用脑立体定位仪定位并逆行标记投射到meA的RGC（meA-RGC），结合免疫毒素技术选择性清除meA-RGC，并整合电生理学、行为学和药理学方法，从细胞、环路到整体水平，系统研究meA-RGC直接通路的结构和功能特性及其在正负性情绪反应中的调控作用。本项目将探索RGC直接调控杏仁核功能的作用机制, 为相关情绪性精神疾病诊治提供科学依据。

There is growing body of evidence that reveals many non-visual nuclei of central nervous system receive direct retinal ganglion cell (RGC) projections and play important roles in processing affective visual information (AVI) and regulating affective behaviors. The amygdala is an essential nucleus for regulating affective behavior. Although there is anatomical result that RGC innervates medial amygdala (meA), it remains to be determined if this direct pathway processing AVI and regulating affective behavior. The currently well-known hypothesis states that the amygdala processes AVI with a rapid but coarse fashion. However, the crucial evidence remains to be provided to back up this hypothesis. This study will select Mongolian gerbil as experimental animal. This proposal plans to use stereotaxic technique to precisely locate the meA and delivery retrograde neural tracer to the nucleus. This is followed by physiological, behavioral, and pharmacological study of the amygdala projecting RGCs. To investigate functional roles of these meA-RGC, selective eliminating meA-RGC with immunotoxin will be carried out followed by behavioral evaluation. This study will provide crucial evidence and demonstrate functional roles of the direct retinal innervation to the amygdala. The outcome of this project will provide important experiment evidence and scientific guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of related psychiatrical disorders and mental diseases.