In vivo whole-cell patch study of excitation and inhibition interplay in auditory cortical plasticity

感觉知觉是对大脑中编码的感觉信息的神经解释。神经解释是由先前的经验决定的，反映了我们日常生活中大脑机器的学习过程。研究表明，最高感觉信息处理中心(感觉皮层)的功能从早期发育到成年，不断地被感觉学习/经验重塑。*在听觉皮质，声音频率(音调)信息由神经元感受野(RF)编码。当声音具有行为意义时，皮质神经元的RFs向该声音的频率移动，因此，该声音频率的皮质表示被放大(频率特异性可塑性)。一般认为，在皮层下神经结构信息输入的引导下，听觉皮质中的连线具有改变的能力。我们最近的研究证实，如果向皮质发送信息的皮质下神经元被强烈激活，那么在听觉皮质中也会发生同样的神经可塑性。我们还证明，长时程增强和抑制都有助于听觉皮质中这种特定频率的可塑性。在大脑皮层，兴奋和抑制在单个神经元中耦合，这决定了神经元的RF。皮质的可塑性可能是兴奋和抑制耦合变化的结果。下一个重要的问题是皮质兴奋和抑制如何共同作用来影响特定频率的皮质RF可塑性。*为了回答这个问题，我将使用最先进的在体全细胞膜片钳技术，研究在单个皮质神经元中紧张诱导的兴奋和抑制的相互作用。我预计神经元的兴奋和抑制是耦合的，并将影响这个神经元的放电。我将进一步研究在向听觉皮质发送信息的皮质下神经元密集激活后，这种耦合是如何受到影响的。我预计皮质神经元的功能重建依赖于兴奋和抑制的耦合变化，这种方式特定于激活的皮质下输入，因为特定于输入的耦合变化解释了特定频率的皮质RF可塑性。*这项研究的结果将提供对听觉皮质线路的全面了解，以自适应声环境。**

Sensory perception is the neural interpretation of encoded sensory information in the brain. The neural interpretation is determined by previous experience, reflecting a learning process of brain machinery for our everyday life. Studies have revealed that the function of the highest sensory information processing center (sensory cortex) is continuously remodeled by sensory learning/experience from early development to adulthood.***      In the auditory cortex, sound frequency (pitch) information is encoded by neuronal receptive fields (RF). When a sound is of behavioral significance, the RFs of cortical neurons shift towards the frequency of this sound and, as a consequence, the cortical representation of this sound frequency is enlarged (frequency-specific plasticity). It is generally thought that the wiring in the auditory cortex has the capacity for change under the guidance of inputting information from subcortical neural structures. Our recent studies have confirmed that, if the subcortical neurons that send information to cortex are intensively activated, identical neural plasticity occurs in the auditory cortex. We have also demonstrated that both long-term potentiation and depression contribute to such frequency-specific plasticity in the auditory cortex. In the cortex, excitation and inhibition are coupled in a single neuron, which determines neuronal RF. Cortical plasticity can be a result of changes in excitation and inhibition coupling. The next important question is how cortical excitation and inhibition work together to influence frequency-specific cortical RF plasticity.***      To answer this question, I will study the interaction of tone-induced excitation and inhibition in a single cortical neuron by using in vivo whole-cell patch-clamp, a state-of-the-art technique. I expect that neuronal excitation and inhibition are coupled and will impact the firing of this neuron. I will further examine how the coupling is influenced following the intensive activation of subcortical neurons that send information to the auditory cortex. I expect that the functional remodeling of the cortical neuron relies on the coupling changes of excitation and inhibition in a manner specific to the activated subcortical inputs since input-specific coupling changes account for frequency-specific cortical RF plasticity.***      The outcomes of this study will provide a comprehensive understanding of the wirings in the auditory cortex for self-adaptation to the acoustic environment.**