Subcortical Neural Coding and Dynamics

项目摘要：项目3，神经编码和动力学-皮层下区域 工作记忆是一种在头脑中暂时保存多条信息以进行操作的能力， 对几乎所有认知能力都至关重要这一多方面的研究项目旨在全面 在多个大脑区域中剖析这种能力的神经回路机制。的各个部分 项目在概念上是一致的，部分原因是它们都涉及经过训练的啮齿动物， 决策任务是基于感官证据的逐渐积累，因此依赖于 工作记忆虽然大多数以前的表征神经相关的工作记忆和 决策集中在皮层区域，越来越多的人认识到皮层下区域 也有助于这些进程。因此，本项目的重点是神经动力学的表征 皮质下区域网络中的潜在工作记忆和决策。具体地说， 细胞分辨率双光子和三光子钙成像将用于表征神经编码， 腹侧被盖区和黑质、颗粒细胞和浦肯野细胞中多巴胺神经元的动力学 小脑中的神经元、纹状体中的中型棘状神经元和海马中的锥体细胞。这 数据将补充多电极记录，捕捉快速神经活动，钙 图像不能。实验将首次联合收割机一个 工作记忆和决策任务。这个项目的结果，加上其他项目的结果， 研究新皮层中类似措施的组件，预计将提供前所未有的 大量的数据，这将使新的洞察任务相关的信息处理过程中的认知 在各种各样的皮层和皮层下区域的任务。另一个组件将联合收割机组合这些结果 与来自其他两个组件的时间和空间特异性失活数据一起构建和约束 一个生物药理学上真实的，多区域的行为计算模型。

Project Summary: Project 3, Neural Coding and Dynamics—Subcortical Regions Working memory, the ability to temporarily hold multiple pieces of information in mind for manipulation, is central to virtually all cognitive abilities. This multi-component research project aims to comprehensively dissect the neural circuit mechanisms of this ability across multiple brain areas. The individual parts of the project cohere conceptually, in part, because they all involve rodents trained to perform a type of decision-making task that is based on the gradual accumulation of sensory evidence and thus relies on working memory. Although most previous characterization of neural correlates of working memory and decision making has focused on cortical regions, there is growing appreciation that subcortical regions contribute to these processes as well. Thus, this project focuses on characterization of the neural dynamics underlying working memory and decision-making in a network of subcortical regions. Specifically, cellular-resolution two- and three-photon calcium imaging will be used to characterize neural coding and dynamics in dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and substantial nigra, granule cells and Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, medium spiny neurons in the striatum, and pyramidal cells in the hippocampus. This data will be supplemented with multi-electrode recordings, which capture fast neural activity that calcium imaging cannot. The experiments will combine these two data types for the first time in the setting of a working memory and decision-making task. The results from this project, together with those from another component that investigates similar measures in neocortex, are expected to provide an unprecedented amount of data that will give new insight into the processing of task-relevant information during a cognitive task across a wide variety of cortical and subcortical areas. Another component will combine these results with temporally and spatially specific inactivation data from the other two components to build and constrain a biophysically realistic, multi-region computational model of the behavior.