Postsubiculum & otolith contributions to head direction

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究是发现空间导航的神经机制的重要一步，空间导航需要个体的身体位置和相对于预期目标位置的运动不断更新。头部方向（HD）信号包含空间地标和自我运动信息，被认为是个体方向的神经表征。在之前的研究中已经发现了参与高清信号产生和控制的大脑结构网络，但每种大脑结构提供的信息的性质仍不清楚。本实验旨在评估HD信号的几个关键方面，包括：1)后下骨（PoS）对HD信号的贡献；2)HD信号中包含的前庭信息的类型；3)倒立运动时高清信号中断的机制。具体来说，将在大鼠PoS病变后评估HD活性；将在缺乏重力受体的小鼠直立和倒立运动中评估HD活性。结果将提供对HD信号信息内容的更好理解，并可能使与前庭功能障碍相关的疾病更有效的治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The present proposal is an important step in discovering the neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation, which requires continual updating of an individual's body position and movements relative to the location of a desired goal. The head direction (HD) signal, which includes spatial landmark and self- movement information, is thought to be the neural representation of an individual's direction. The network of brain structures involved in HD signal generation and control have been discovered in previous studies but the nature of information contributed by each brain structure remains unclear. The proposed experiments are designed to assess several key aspects of the HD signal, including: 1) the contribution of the postsubiculum (PoS) to the HD signal: 2) the type(s) of vestibular information included in the HD signal; and 3) the mechanism responsible for disruption of the HD signal during inverted locomotion. Specifically, HD activity will be assessed in rats following PoS lesion; HD activity will be assessed in mice lacking gravireceptors during upright and inverted locomotion. Results will provide a greater understanding of the HD signal's information content and may enable more effective treatments for disorders related to vestibular dysfunction.