Influence of attention and eye movement signals on population coding in area V4

这个项目的目标是了解视皮层中的神经元群体如何整合不同类型的神经元。 由突触输入提供的信息，包括眼球运动信号和注意力调节。大有可为 我们对视觉系统的理解是由个体的细胞外记录形成的 单个视觉区域的神经元。然而，在许多大脑疾病的情况下(如弱视)和 脑损伤(如脑震荡造成的头部创伤)功能受损不能 理解为单一、重点区域的赤字。此外，对情结的理解 像视觉注意或视觉运动功能这样的过程不能从单个神经元的记录中获得 一个单一的皮质区域。在这个项目中，我们将在一个大脑皮层区域使用多电极记录技术 结合刺激和记录另一个皮质区域来确定神经元群体如何 大脑区域内和大脑区域之间的相互作用。具体地说，拟议的实验将长期采用 在猕猴视觉区域V4植入100个电极阵列，结合刺激和记录来自 前视野单电极(FEF)。V4区是个好主意！探索整合问题的选择 因为它在视觉层次中的位置。它接受来自早期视觉皮质和更高水平的输入 地区，包括FEF。我们将从测量V4种群内的关联结构开始 视觉刺激过程中的神经元，以确定它与已知的相关结构有何不同 在初级视皮层。一旦完成，我们将同时在FEF和V4中记录，以确定 连接在这些区域之间的神经元类型，并测试FEF到V4的假设 通路在注意调节中起着重要作用。最后，我们将在FEF中刺激和记录 V4中的神经元。我们预计FEF输入将起到同步V4神经元群的作用，使它们能够 为下游皮质区域提供更有效的输入。这些实验将提供至关重要的洞察力 关于视觉皮质如何利用眼球运动信息在小范围的空间中整合 以及注意调节以产生行为相关的输出。

The goal of this project is to understand how populations of neurons in visual cortex integrate diverse types of information provided by synaptic inputs, including eye movement signals and attentional modulation. Much of our understanding of the visual system has been shaped by extracellular recordings from individual neurons In a single visual area. However, in the case of many diseases of the brain (such as amblyopia) and damage to the brain (such as that caused by concussive head trauma) impairment of functioning can not be understood in terms of a deficit in a single, focal region. Furthermore, an understanding of a complex process like visual attention or visual motor function cannot be obtained from recordings of single neurons in a single cortical area. In this project, we will utilize multi-electrode recording technology in one cortical area combined with stimulating and recording In another cortical area to determine how populations of neurons interact within and between brain regions. Specifically, the proposed experiments will employ chronically implanted 100-electrode arrays In macaque visual area V4 In conjunction with stimulation and recording from single electrodes in the frontal eye fields (FEF). Area V4 Is an idea! choice to explore questions of integration because of Its place in the visual hierarchy. It receives input from early visual cortex as well as higher level regions, including FEF. We will begin by measuring the correlation structure within a population of V4 neurons during visual stimulation in order to determine how it differs from the known structure of correlation in primary visual cortex. Once this is complete, we will record simultaneously in FEF and V4 to determine the types of neurons that are connected between these areas, and test the hypothesis that the FEF to V4 pathway plays a role in attentional modulation. Finally, we will stimulate in FEF and record populations of neurons in V4. We expect that FEF input will serve to synchronize groups of V4 neurons, enabling them to provide a more effective input to downstream cortical areas. These experiments will provide crucial insight into how the visual cortex integrates over small regions of space using information about eye movements and attentional modulation to produce behaviorally relevant output.