The development of topographic maps and connectivity in M1 and S1 of rats

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究将调查初级躯体感觉(S1)和运动(M1)皮质的地形图和连接性的发展，以确定在出生后最初几周身体形态和感觉体验的戏剧性变化期间，这些区域的组织是如何改变的。这些问题将在Long-Evans大鼠出生后5天、10天、15天、20天和成年期间进行研究(&gt；P60)。实验1将研究S1内躯体位置图的发展。S1的边界将使用多单元记录技术进行电生理确定。将在每个年龄计算用于不同身体表示(包括头部/触须、躯干、前肢和后肢)的皮质片的面积，并进行跨年龄的比较，以确定S1的功能组织如何在发育过程中发生变化。实验2将研究S1和M1以及丘脑和脊髓内部和之间神经解剖联系的发展。 与公共卫生相关：最近，在治疗创伤性脑损伤方面取得了巨大进展。其中一些研究表明，愈合过程与发育过程非常相似。具体地说，这两个过程都涉及神经化学变化，神经生长因子的释放和随后的神经元生长，以及大脑内新连接的形成。对发育过程的更多了解可以帮助我们深入了解中风或其他创伤性脑损伤后大脑是如何恢复的。这里提出的研究将增加我们对大脑组织，特别是主要感觉区域内的体视发育的理解。然后，这些信息可能被用来开发诊断和治疗创伤性脑损伤和其他神经疾病的新方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study will investigate the development of topography and connectivity of primary somatosensory (S1) and motor (M1) cortices o determine how the organization of these areas is altered during the dramatic changes in body morphology and sensory experiences during the first few postnatal weeks. These issues will be investigated in developing Long-Evans rats as postnatal days (P) 5, 10, 15, 20, and during adulthood (> P60). Experiment 1 will investigate the development of somatotopic maps within S1. The boundaries of S1 will be electrophysiologically determined using multi-unit recording techniques. The area of the cortical sheet dedicated to different body representations (including the head/vibrissae, trunk, forelimbs, and hindlimbs) will be calculated at each age, and compared across ages, to determine how the functional organization of S1 changes across development. Experiment 2 will investigate the development of neuroanatomical connections within and between S1 and M1 was well as the thalamus and spinal cord. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Recently there has been tremendous progress in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries. Some of this research has demonstrated that the healing process is remarkably similar to the developmental process. Specifically, both of these processes involve neurochemical changes, the release of neural growth factors and subsequent neuronal growth, and the formation of novel connections within the brain. A greater understanding of the developmental process could provide insight into how the brain recovers following stroke or other traumatic brain injury. The studies proposed here will increase our understanding of how brain organization, and specifically somatotopy within major sensory areas, develops. This information may then be used to develop novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders.