Neuronal mechanisms of selective attention in early vision

描述（由申请人提供）：在过去的二十年中，选择性注意的机制已经被深入研究。因此，现在人们对与视觉注意力有关的大脑区域网络和单个神经元对注意力转移的反应有了更好的了解。目前的注意力模型也离提供具有直接临床意义的注意力回路的一般框架更近了一步。然而，当前模型的一个主要限制是缺乏细胞特异性。目前的大多数模型都将给定皮质区域内的每个细胞视为随机抽取的神经元样本，这些神经元只是在它们的接受野的空间位置以及它们对线方向和运动方向的选择性上有所不同。具有不同功能的不同细胞类型的存在完全被忽视了。不同层的神经元，局部和远程连接的神经元，直到最近，抑制性和兴奋性神经元都被模型平等对待。本提案的主要目标是提供细胞选择性的生物学数据，这些数据需要建立更现实和临床相关的视觉注意模型。我们的目的是表征不同的细胞类型，涉及在V1区域的注意网络。我们还旨在确定具有不同注意力功能的神经元群：那些参与增强注意力焦点视觉的神经元和那些参与抑制周围区域注意力分散的神经元。我们将使用最先进的技术通过V1区域的皮质深度密集取样单个神经元和神经元群。如果有必要，我们的新技术可以让我们在几天或几个月的时间里研究给定神经元群的特性。我们的目标是利用这项技术提供V1区不同皮质深度的注意回路的详细特征，并确定使注意调制最强的任务参数。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mechanisms of selective attention have been intensively investigated over the past two decades. As a consequence, there is now a better understanding of the network of brain areas that are involved in visual attention and the responses of individual neurons to attentional shifts. Current models of attention are also one step closer to providing a general framework of attentional circuits that could have direct clinical significance. However, a major limitation of current models is the lack of cellular specificity. Most current models treat each cell within a given cortical area as if it was taken from a random sample of neurons that simply differ in the spatial location of their receptive fields and their selectivity for line orientation and direction of movement. The existence of different cell types with possible different functions is completely neglected. Neurons in different layers, neurons making local and long-range connections and, until very recently, inhibitory and excitatory neurons are all treated equally by models. The main goal of this proposal is to provide the biological data on cell selectivity that is needed to build more realistic and clinically relevant models of visual attention. We aim to characterize the different cell types that are involved in attentional networks in area V1. We also aim to identify populations of neurons with different functions in attention: those involved in enhancing vision at the focus of attention and those involved in suppressing distraction in surrounding areas. We will use state-of-the-art technology to densely sample individual neurons and populations of neurons through the cortical depths of area V1. Our novel technology allows us to study the properties of a given population of neurons for days or months, if necessary. We aim to take advantage of this technology to provide a detailed characterization of attention circuits at different cortical depths of area V1 and identify the task parameters that make attentional modulations strongest. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The results from this proposal are likely to have a significant impact in human health by providing a better understanding of the different cellular elements that make attentional circuits functional. Deficits in visual attention are common in traumatic brain injury, autism and the normal process of aging. Our results will help to develop better models that could be used to distinguish among the different attentional circuits that could be damaged and provide guidance for future treatments.