Neural and metabolic activity in vision and attention

描述(由申请人提供)： 目前的人脑功能成像方法没有直接记录神经活动，而是测量神经活动导致的代谢活动。相比之下，我们对人脑功能的大部分了解来自动物的电生理学研究，这些研究允许我们直接接触到认知功能背后的神经信号。神经活动和代谢活动之间的差距很难弥合；它们之间的相互关系相当复杂，取决于几个生物学和实验因素。我们建议使用一种新的多光谱探针来研究神经、代谢和血流动力学过程之间的关系，该探针可以同时测量神经、代谢和血流动力学信号：来自多个分离的单个细胞的峰活动、局部场电位、EEG、局部灌流的O2和局部血流量。这个系统将被用来量化和描述人类认知功能的清醒行为动物模型中神经生理和代谢指标之间的关系。随后的实验将使用多光谱探头来研究视觉功能基础研究中的神经、代谢和血液动力学信号。一种灵活而廉价的多光谱探头，可以与日常神经生理记录整合在一起，使广泛的神经生理学家能够定期同时测量神经、代谢和血液动力学活动。更广泛的神经生理学团体通过常规使用这种探头获得的信息可能会对我们解释和理解在神经成像实验中获得的数据产生重大影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Current methods for functional imaging of the human brain do not record neural activity directly, but instead measure metabolic activity consequent to neural activity. In contrast, much of our understanding of the function of the human brain comes from electrophysiological studies in animals that allow direct access to the neural signals underlying cognitive function. It is difficult to bridge the gap between neural and metabolic activity; their interrelationship is quite complex and depends on several biological and experimental factors. We propose to investigate the relationship between neural, metabolic and hemodynamic processes by use of a novel multispectral probe that allows simultaneous measurement of neural, metabolic and hemodynamic signals: spiking activity from multiple isolated single cells, local field potentials, EEG, local perfused 02 and local blood flow. This system will be used to quantify and characterize the relationship between neurophysiological and metabolic measures in an awake behaving animal model of human cognitive function. Subsequent experiments will use the multispectral probe to investigate neural, metabolic and hemodynamic signals in basic studies of visual function. A multispectral probe that is flexible and cheap enough to be integrated with daily neurophysiological recordings will enable a wide range of neurophysiologists to routinely make simultaneous measurements of neural, metabolic and hemodynamic activity. Information gained by the routine use of such a probe by the wider neurophysiological community could have dramatic effects on our interpretation and understanding of data acquired in neuroimaging experiments.