U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Research: Brain Organization in Primitive Mammals

小行星9500863 这个美国-巴西合作科学计划奖支持与P.I. J. Kaas博士访问有关的差旅费、消耗性研究用品和服务。 和他的合作私家侦探，都来自田纳西州的范德比尔特大学，到C博士的实验室。E.罗查米兰达，巴西里约热内卢联邦大学。 这项研究的目的是建立一个模型，说明简单、原始的哺乳动物大脑是如何组织起来的，包括在合作系统中相互连接的功能重要的区域、核和模块。 这个模型可以与那些基于复杂的高级大脑的模型进行比较，例如高等灵长类动物的大脑，以确定与复杂性和增强性能相关的变化。该模型将基于从对北美和南美负鼠的实验研究中获得的数据。 从早期哺乳动物的脑内模来判断，这些Metatherian哺乳动物的脑在外观上几乎没有变化，因为哺乳动物的主要辐射大约在6500万年前，它们提供了在美国和巴西实验室附近可用的明显优势。先前的比较研究提供了直接证据，证明负鼠的基本大脑组织比大多数现存哺乳动物的大脑组织更简单，更原始，并且使用强大的现代技术进行进一步研究可以提供有价值的额外见解。 该研究将涉及视觉，听觉和体感系统的研究，涉及新皮层中的大多数神经元，并解决运动系统组织的关键问题，其中Metatherian哺乳动物可能比Eutherian哺乳动物复杂。 微电极记录将用于识别大脑中感觉表面的系统表示，微刺激方法将揭示运动中心。 用微电极鉴定的脑分区将进一步检查组织化学、结构和分子特征、内部微秩序和与其他系统的连接模式。 该研究计划利用了巴西实验室研究人员在负鼠大脑研究方面的丰富经验，以及他们在表征负鼠感觉系统神经元反应特性方面的独特经验。 美国实验室的研究人员也有负鼠大脑研究的相关经验，以及大脑组织比较研究的广泛背景。 这两个实验室的研究人员在研究程序和技术方面都有重叠和互补的经验，并且对理解负鼠的大脑组织有共同的兴趣。 合并各项努力将使这一领域取得更大进展。 ***

9500863 Kaas This U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Science Program award supports travel expenses, expendable research supplies and services, related to the visits of Drs. J. Kaas, the P.I. and his co-P.I.s, all from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, to the lab of Dr. C. E. Rocha Miranda, Univ. Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The purpose of the research is to develop a model of how simple, primitive mammalian brains are organized, in terms of functionally significant areas, nuclei and modules that are interconnected within cooperative systems. This model can be compared to those based on complex, advanced brains, such as those of higher primates, to determine changes associated with complexity and enhanced performance. The model will be based on data obtained from experimental studies on North and South American opossums. The brains of these Metatherian mammals have changed little in external appearance, judging from the brain endocasts of early mammals, since the major radiation of mammals some 65 mya, and they provide the clear advantage of availability near both the U.S.A. and Brazilian laboratories. Previous comparative studies provide direct evidence that the basic brain organization of opossums is less complex and more primitive than that of most extant mammals, and that further studies using a powerful range of modern techniques could provide valuable additional insights. The research will involve studies of the visual, auditory and somatosensory systems that involve the majority of neurons in neocortex, and address critical issues of motor system organization, where Metatherian mammals may be less complex than Eutherian mammals. Microelectrode recordings will be used to identify systematic representations of sensory surfaces in the brain and microstimulation methods will reveal movement centers. Brain subdivisions, identified with microelectrodes, will be further examined for histochemical, architectonic, and molecular distinctions, intern al microorder and patterns of connection with other systems. The research plan takes advantage of the extensive previous experience of researchers in the Brazilian laboratory in studies of the brains of opossums, and their unique experience in characterizing the response properties of neurons in sensory systems of opossums. The researchers in the U.S.A. laboratory also have relevant experience in brain studies in opossums, as well as an extensive background in comparative studies of brain organization. Investigators in the two laboratories have both overlapping and complementary experience with research procedures and techniques, and a joint interest in understanding brain organization in opossums. A merger of efforts will allow for greater progress in the field. ***