Stimulus-induced neural networks

这个项目的核心假设是，大脑网络可能比人们普遍认为的要灵活得多，也许可以随时改变它们的功能组织来优化刺激处理。 这一假设将通过使用快速电压敏感染料对两种不同的软体动物物种中超过100个神经元的网络的放电活动进行成像来测试，因为它们响应于感觉输入，产生行为运动程序，并存储记忆。 最先进的分析方法将被应用于跟踪所有记录的神经元，因为它们在真实的时间内在网络社区之间转移频率。 该项目将在三个领域产生科学和更广泛的影响。 首先，预期的发现将大大扩展我们目前对大脑网络如何受到它们处理的信息影响的理解。 第二，该项目正在开发的记录和分析工具将对许多其他实验室非常有用。 最后，该项目的更广泛的影响旨在激励和教育未来的科学家，无论是来自邻近4年制大学的本科生物专业，以及来自两所主要是西班牙裔沃基根地区高中的高中生。 这些教育推广活动旨在提高代表性不足的个人对科学研究事业的兴奋和满意度。

This project's central hypothesis is that brain networks may be much more flexible than generally appreciated, perhaps to the point of altering their functional organization moment-to-moment to optimize stimulus processing. This hypothesis will be tested by using fast voltage sensitive dyes to image the firing activity of networks of over 100 neurons in two different molluscan species as they respond to sensory input, generate behavioral motor programs, and store memory. State-of-the-art analysis methods will be applied to track all recorded neurons as they shift allegiances among network communities in real time. The project will have three areas of scientific and broader impacts. First, the anticipated findings will significantly extend our current understanding of how brain networks are affected by the very information that they process. Second, the recording and analysis tools being developed by this project will be of great use to many other laboratories. Finally, the broader impacts of this project are designed to inspire and educate future scientists, both undergraduate biology majors from neighboring 4 year colleges, as well as high school students from two predominantly Hispanic Waukegan-area high schools. These educational outreach activities aim to increase the excitement and satisfaction of underrepresented individuals for careers in scientific research.