Directly measuring synaptic and population coupling in cortex during perception

知觉过程中皮层突触和群体耦合的直接测量 大脑皮层是哺乳动物定义的大脑结构，是我们最复杂的感觉的基础 行为。一个主要的需求是确定皮质中的突触和网络机制如何导致正常和 感官知觉和行为受损。一种流行的皮质功能模型假设突触 兴奋(E)和抑制(I)表现出一种稳定的平衡(E/I平衡)，这种平衡在感觉受损时会被破坏 和神经发育疾病。目前，还没有关于突触E/I平衡的知识 感官知觉，也不是它与大规模神经网络活动的关系。我们具有得天独厚的优势 通过全细胞膜片钳和大规模的创新组合，弥合这一关键的知识差距 小鼠视觉感知过程中明确的兴奋性和抑制性神经元的群体记录。这个多- 标度方法将使我们能够1)定义兴奋性和抑制性神经元群体如何跨越皮质 层次预测视觉感知的准确性2)揭示了构成视觉感知的突触机制 3)确定兴奋性和抑制性群体活动和突触机制之间的关系 被视觉感知所吸引。 意义重大。这个项目将满足一个重要的需求，以了解兴奋和抑制活性如何 皮质在突触、网络和行为水平上进行协调，以支持感觉感知。它是 必须了解这些过程在单个神经元，网络和他们的突触输入 行为，以便我们可以更好地理解如何纠正许多特有的感觉加工缺陷 神经和神经发育障碍。 创新。该项目将提供创新的测量和分析之间的关系 受控知觉行为中的单神经元突触输入和大规模神经网络活动。 这种技术组合将允许对长期存在的皮质功能理论(E/I)进行批判性评估 平衡)，需要在相关的行为环境中进行验证。这些成果将提供概念创新 通过详细描述抑制如何塑造和协调大脑皮层的兴奋活动来协调知觉 行为。

Directly measuring synaptic and population coupling in cortex during perception The cerebral cortex is the defining brain structure of mammals and underlies our most complex sensory behaviors. A major need exists to identify how synaptic and network mechanisms in cortex lead to normal and impaired sensory perception and behavior. A prevailing model of cortical function postulates that synaptic excitation (E) and inhibition (I) exhibit a stable balance (E/I balance) that is disrupted during sensory impairments and neurodevelopmental diseases. Currently, there is no knowledge regarding synaptic E/I balance during sensory perception, nor its relationship to large-scale neural network activity. We are uniquely positioned to bridge this critical knowledge gap with an innovative combination of whole-cell patch-clamp and large-scale population recordings of defined excitatory and inhibitory neurons during visual perception in mice. This multi- scale approach will enable us to 1) Define how excitatory and inhibitory neuron populations spanning cortical layers predict the accuracy of visual perception 2) Reveal synaptic mechanisms that underlie visual perception 3) Define the relationship between excitatory and inhibitory population activity and synaptic mechanisms engaged by visual perception. SIGNIFICANCE. This project will meet a significant need to understand how excitatory and inhibitory activity in cortex is coordinated at the synaptic, network, and behavioral levels to support sensory perception. It is imperative to understand these processes in individual neurons, networks, and their synaptic inputs during behavior, so that we may better comprehend how to rectify sensory processing deficits characteristic of many neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. INNOVATION. This project will provide innovative measurements and analysis of the relationship between single-neuron synaptic inputs and large-scale neural network activity during controlled perceptual behaviors. This combination of techniques will allow critical assessment of long-standing theories of cortical function (E/I balance) that require validation in relevant behavioral contexts. These results will provide conceptual innovation by detailing how inhibition sculpts and coordinates excitatory activity in cortex to orchestrate perceptual behaviors.