Input integration in visual cortex

提供空间) 大脑感觉区域的神经元接受连续变化的输入，以响应大脑中的刺激 周围的环境。此外，他们还收到自发的、内在生成的背景 来自细胞的本地网络的输入。尽管神经科学的许多进步已经开始 在细胞水平上阐明感觉系统的功能，我们对个体大脑如何 细胞整合并处理这两种输入。这里提出的实验将检验基本的 控制单个皮质神经元视觉驱动突触输入整合的细胞规则 探索网络活动的变化如何调节突触输入整合和皮层细胞的输入输出 收获。输入整合的细胞机制将通过细胞内记录从初级 正常动物视皮层神经元及其诱发的突触电位和棘波输出的分析 视觉刺激。这项工作将提供对视觉基础的基本细胞机制的见解 加工并阐明感觉皮质功能的基本原理。

spaceprovided) Neurons in sensory areas of the brain receive continuously varying inputs in response to stimuli in the surrounding environment. In addition, they also receive spontaneous, intrinsically generated background input from the local network of cells. Despite numerous advances in neuroscience that have begun to elucidate sensory system function at the cellular level, we know surprisingly little about how individual brain cells integrate and process these two kinds of input. The experiments proposed here will examine the basic cellular rules governing the integration of visually driven synaptic inputs by single cortical neurons and explore how changes in network activity modulate synaptic input integration and cortical cells' input-output gain. The cellular mechanisms of input integration will be examined by recording intracellularly from primary visual cortex neurons in intact animals and analyzing the synaptic potentials and spike output evoked by visual stimulation. This work will provide insights into the fundamental cellular mechanisms underlying visual processing and elucidate basic principles of sensory cortical function.