Functional organization and plasticity of the visual cortex in mammals

大脑的可塑性不仅对学习和记忆是必要的，而且还能让大脑迅速适应环境的变化或伤害。哺乳动物的复杂行为依赖于多个大脑区域之间的合作，特别是在皮质水平，其中神经元网络参与或脱离对外部或内源性刺激的反应。在视觉系统中，皮层分析首先发生在初级视觉皮层的水平，并通过串行和并行流在高阶区域继续进行。所有的视觉区域都包含视觉世界的一个代表（部分或全部），并以地形的方式组织（视觉地形图）。此外，在某些物种中，可以在皮层区域中观察到功能子组织（例如，眼优势模块，方向）。正是通过这些分布式网络的协调活动，动物才能够解释视觉场景，将其信息与其他感官形式整合，所有这些都是为了采取适当的视觉行为。这项研究计划的总体目标是确定大脑网络如何被感官体验调制，以及它们如何适应侮辱。作为第一步，我的实验室将专注于视觉皮层的结构-功能的比较研究物种（小鼠，兔子和树鼩）与特定的皮层特征（功能地图组织在模块与盐和胡椒组织）。我们将确定环境如何改变视觉大脑的连接和功能，以及它是否可以通过恢复可塑性来促进损伤的恢复。环境富集（EE）是调节和增强可塑性的有力工具。我们假设，丰富将诱导大规模的功能完善的视觉定位地图和皮层模块，以及增加的耦合（交叉相关）之间的皮层视觉网络的不同区域。我们还假设，EE将促进网络重组后，侮辱其组成部分之一。我们将利用最近在实验室开发的映射技术。光学脑成像（内在和电压敏感染料）将用于可视化视觉区域的活动以及在其环境丰富之前和之后的静息和刺激诱导状态下它们之间的功能连接。一系列视觉刺激的复杂性不同，将被用来突出特定的敏感性，刺激类型内的视觉皮层网络。这些实验将与电生理记录结合进行，并辅以功能磁共振成像研究。实验将使用处于成年期或发育期的丰富环境中的动物进行。拟议的计划将有助于我们了解环境对大脑连接和功能的影响，并增加我们对神经元可塑性的认识。脑成像，光遗传学和电生理学的结合，研究在系统发育背景下的新皮层的发育，结构和功能，将提供一个创新的多学科培训环境。

Brain plasticity is necessary not only for learning and memory but also to allow the brain to rapidly adapt to changes in the environment or to injuries. Complex behavior of mammals relies on the cooperation between multiple brain areas, particularly at the cortical level where neuronal networks are engaged or disengaged in reaction to external or endogenous stimuli. In the visual system, the cortical analysis occurs first at the level of the primary visual cortex and continues in higher-order areas through serial and parallel streams. All visual areas contain a representation (partial or complete) of the visual world and are organized in a topographic way (visuotopic maps). Further, in some species, a functional sub-organization can be observed in cortical areas (e.g. modules of ocular dominance, orientation). It is through the concerted activity of these distributed networks that an animal is able to interpret a visual scene, integrate its information with other sensory modalities, all in order to adopt the proper visuomotor behaviour.The overall goal of this research program aims to determine how brain networks can be modulated by sensory experience and how they can adapt to insults. As a first step, my lab will focus on the comparative study of the structure-function of the visual cortex in species (mice, rabbits and tree shrews) with specific cortical characteristics (functional maps organized in modules vs. a salt and pepper organization). We will determine how the environment changes the visual brain’s connectivity and functioning and if it can promote recovery from lesions by reinstating plasticity. Environmental enrichment (EE) is a powerful implement to modulate and enhance plasticity. We hypothesize that enrichment will induce a large-scale functional refinement of visuotopic maps and cortical modules as well as an increase in the coupling (cross-correlation) between the different areas of the cortical visual network. We also hypothesize that EE will facilitate network reorganization following an insult to one of its component.We will take advantage of mapping techniques developed recently in the laboratory. Optical brain imaging (intrinsic and voltage-sensitive dyes) will be used to visualize the activity of the visual areas as well as the functional connectivity between them in resting and stimulus- induced states before and after the enrichment of their environment. A range of visual stimuli varying in their complexity will be used to highlight specific sensitivity to stimulus types within the visual cortical network. These experiments will be made in conjunction with electrophysiological recordings and complemented by fMRI studies. Experiments will be performed using animals placed in an enriched milieu either in adulthood or during their development.The proposed program will contribute to our understanding of the impact of environment on brain connectivity and function and increase our knowledge on neuronal plasticity. The combination of brain imaging, optogenetic, and electrophysiology to study the development, structure and function of the neocortex in a phylogenetic context will provide an innovative multidisciplinary training environment.