视觉刺激诱发本能防御行为的神经环路机制

目标：解析上丘处理诱发视觉本能恐惧反应的神经环路机制。项目以小鼠为研究对象，采用光遗传学、神经环路示踪和快速成像、在体清醒膜片钳、在体多脑区光调控电生理、在体移动双光子成像、小动物眼动跟踪与行为学等手段，基于我们前期发现小鼠对特定参数范围内的阴影逼近刺激产生本能防御反应，研究：1）威胁视觉刺激的关键特征参数及诱发的本能防御行为特征；2)上丘不同亚型神经元对危险视觉刺激特征参数的反应模式以及不同亚型神经元的输入、输出图谱的结构和功能特征；3）上丘调控皮层感知加工和注意活动的神经环路机制。将阐明：1）上丘处理诱发视觉本能恐惧反应的神经环路机制；2）视觉诱发的本能防御反应如何经由上丘实现对皮层的调控，进而调控注意与认知。此研究将帮助我们加深理解：大脑“生存环路”基本的结构和功能特征；大脑对于本能恐惧的响应从皮层下到皮层的传播特征；大脑对危险的感知从意识下到意识层面的转变，具有重要的科学意义。

The Goal of project.To illustrate the mechanism of neural circuitry in superior colliculus (SC) processing visual stimulation evoked innate defensive behaviour. The project will use mouse as the model and plan to study 1) key parameters for threatening visual stimulation and characteristics of each evoked innate defensive behaviour, 2) the reaction mode of different subtypes of cells in responding to each specified threatening visual stimulation, and the functional and structural characteristics of input-output circuitry mapping in the visual activated innate defensive circuitry of SC, 3)the neural circuitry mechanism of colliculi modulation of attention and sensory perception-cognition on neocortex, with cutting-edge technologies of optogenetics, neural circuitry tracing, high-speed imaging, in vivo patch clamp recording, in vivo multi-regions opto-electrophysiology, in vivo mobile two photon imaging, eye moment tracking for small animals, et al. Our studies will illustrate 1) the mechanism of neural circuitry in SC processing visual stimulation evoked innate defensive responses. 2) the strategy applied to modulate the visual stimulation evoked innate defensive responses in the neural circuitry of SC relayed to neocortex, which will modulate attention and perception in the neocortex. This study will promote our appreciation to fundamental features of wiring and function of survival circuitry in the brain, and of the relay of innate fear responses from subcortical nuclei to neocortex, and the transformation of subconsciousness to consciousness in the perception of emergent threatening, all of which highlight these neural rules in the general interests of life science.