Thalamocortical interactions

这项拟议中的研究将检验相关的假设，即丘脑在迄今为止被忽视的 在大脑皮层处理过程中起着关键作用。特别是许多丘脑核团，它们共同组成了 大多数丘脑体积和以前神秘的功能，我们现在建议 关键参与信息流和功能，通过皮质区域之间的动态绑定 皮质-丘脑-皮质通路我们建议使用小鼠来研究这些通路 体感系统作为模型，涉及体外切片制备和体内 行为准备。似乎在很多甚至所有的情况下，大脑皮层区域 通过直接的和这些经丘脑的途径。丘脑通路直到最近 我们的目标是探索这些通路在皮层处理中的一些基本作用。到 开始理解这样的途径的作用，我们建议探测基本的电路特性， 这些途径，以更好地了解在更高的认知丘脑通路的作用， 功能

The proposed research will test related hypotheses that thalamus plays a heretofore neglected and critical role in cortical processing. In particular, many thalamic nuclei, that together comprise the majority of thalamic volume and that were previously mysterious in function, we now suggest are critically involved in information flow and functional, dynamic binding between cortical areas via cortico-thalamo-cortical pathways. We propose to study these pathways using the mouse somatosensory system as the model involving both in vitro slice preparations and an in vivo behaving preparation. It appears that, in many and perhaps all cases, cortical areas are connected by both direct and these transthalamic pathways. The transthalamic pathways are only recently appreciated, and we aim to explore some basic roles such pathways play in cortical processing. To begin understanding the role of such pathways, we propose to probe basic circuit properties of these pathways to better understand the role of the transthalamic pathways in higher cognitive functioning.