Synaptic organization and plasticity of the input from the amygdala to the gustatory cortex

总结 味觉的感知是一个复杂的过程，包括刺激的化学感觉检测以及 关于其享乐价值的信息，无论刺激是愉快的还是不愉快的。味觉皮层 被认为是味觉系统的核心组成部分，并假设整合了化学感觉和味觉。 和味觉刺激的情感维度。然而，到目前为止，参与这一过程的神经元和电路机制 过程仍不清楚。在本提案中，我们将填补目前对电路基础理解的空白， 味觉通过研究突触机制的整合丘脑皮质和 杏仁核皮质输入到初级味觉皮质。味觉丘脑的丘脑皮质投射 为味觉皮层的化学感觉信息提供了通道，而基底外侧核的 杏仁核被认为是关于味觉刺激的享乐信息的主要贡献者。以 先进的电路和突触分析实验方法的优势，以及一个完善的 学习范式，条件性味觉厌恶，保留化学感觉特性，但改变刺激 情感维度，我们将确定如何感官和享乐成分的味道是整合在 味觉皮层回路我们提出的方法将开始弥合广泛的行为/行为之间的差距。 药理学和细胞/分子工作，已显着推进该领域，但没有信息 关于潜在的突触和电路机制仍然很难在一个总体框架中协调一致。 此外，我们的研究对公共卫生有重要意义。许多神经和精神疾病 与感官知觉改变或快感缺乏有关。人类和啮齿动物的味觉是 以感官和情感维度为特征，因此它提供了一个独特的模型， 感觉处理的共同机制，以及调查电路基础的 感官刺激与其享乐价值的整合。因此，我们目前的研究结果有可能 为治疗性干预的发展确定新的靶点。

Summary The perception of taste is a complex process that includes the chemosensory detection of a stimulus as well as information regarding its hedonic value, whether a stimulus is pleasant or unpleasant. The gustatory cortex is thought to be a central component of the taste system, and is hypothesized to integrate both of chemosensory and affective dimensions of taste stimuli. However, to date, the neuronal and circuit mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. In this proposal, we will fill a gap in the current understanding of circuit underpinning for taste by investigating the synaptic mechanisms underlying the integration of thalamocortical and amygdalocortical inputs to the primary gustatory cortex. The thalamocortical projection from the taste thalamus provides the gateway for chemosensory information to the gustatory cortex, while the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala has been identified as a major contributor of hedonic information regarding taste stimuli. Taking advantage of cutting-edge experimental approaches for circuit and synaptic analysis, and of a well-established learning paradigm, conditioned taste aversion, that preserves the chemosensory identity, but alters a stimulus affective dimension, we will determine how sensory and hedonic components of taste are integrated in the gustatory cortical circuit. The approach we propose will begin to bridge the gap between the extensive behavioral/ pharmacological and cellular/molecular work that has significantly advanced the field, but without information about underlying synaptic and circuit mechanisms remains difficult to reconcile in an overarching framework. In addition, our study has important implication for public health. Many neurological and psychiatric disorders are associated with altered sensory perception, or by anhedonia. Taste perception in human and rodents is characterized by sensory and affective dimensions, therefore it provides a unique model for understanding common mechanism of sensory processing, as well as for investigating the circuit underpinning for the integration of sensory stimuli with their hedonic value. Therefore, results from our current study have the potential of identifying novel targets for the development of therapeutic intervention.