SYNAPTIC ORGANIZATION OF THE PRIMATE PULVINAR NUCLEUS

这个子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和调查员(PI)可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可能会出现在其他CRISE条目中。列出的机构是针对中心的，而不一定是针对调查员的机构。在选择突出的视觉目标的过程中，枕核似乎在引导视觉注意力方面发挥了关键作用，并将眼睛运动引向了这些目标。然而，关于枕骨功能的理论仍然很有推测性。这项拨款提案的目标是了解皮质和皮质下的输入如何在灵长类枕核的突触回路中结构性地相互作用。这一建议主要集中在猴枕核的背侧/内侧区域，因为在该区域，生理学研究已经证明了与视觉注意的明确关系，但对其突触回路却知之甚少。我们建议研究起源于顶盖前、桥脑被盖和皮质7a和23区的终末的超微结构和突触靶点。这四个区域显示与眼球运动、注意力状态、视觉空间位置和记忆相关的活动。所有这些区域本身都是广泛相互联系的，并被预测为视觉注意力的基础网络。我们在猕猴前额叶皮质的7a区和23区进行了注射，并分析了注射部位的位置。我们正在分析注射部位，并向使用双标记束追踪技术的比克福德博士提供枕骨的块，拟议的研究将确定枕核如何连接不同的信号。这些研究结果将首次对灵长类枕核进行全面的超微结构描述，为进一步研究该区域--S在视觉注意中的作用提供解剖学基础。该项目的资金于2005年2月结束，目前处于无费用延期年。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The pulvinar nucleus appears to play a key role in directing visual attention, in the process of selecting salient visual targets, and directing eye movements toward these targets. However, theories of pulvinar function remain quite speculative. The goal of this grant proposal is to understand how cortical and subcortical inputs structurally interact within the synaptic circuitry of the primate pulvinar nucleus. This proposal focuses on the dorsal/medial regions of the monkey pulvinar nucleus because in this region physiological studies have demonstrated a clear relation to visual attention, but nothing is known regarding its synaptic circuitry. We propose to examine the ultrastructure and synaptic targets of terminals that originate from the pretectum, the penduculopontine tegmentum, and cortical areas 7a and 23. These four areas display activity related to eye movements, attentional state, visual spatial location, and memory. All of these areas are themselves extensively interconnected and have been predicted to contribute to networks underlying visual attention. We have made injections in areas 7a and 23 of macaque prefrontal cortex and analyzed the location of the injection sites. We are analyzing the injectin sites and providing blocks of the pulvinar to Dr. Bickford who is using double label tract tracing techniques, the proposed studies will determine how the pulvinar nucleus links diverse signals. The results of these studies will provide the first comprehensive ultrastructural description of the primate pulvinar nucleus, providing an anatomical basis for further investigation of this region?s role in visual attention. The funding for this project ended in February of 2005 and it is currently in a no cost extension year.