Network mechanisms underlying multisensory spatial attention

多感官空间注意的网络机制

• 批准号: BB/X013472/1
• 负责人: Maria Iacaruso
• 金额: $ 24.88万
• 依托单位: The Francis Crick Institute
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FX013472%2F1
• 关键词: Network; mechanisms; underlying; multisensory; spatial

Attention improves perceptual abilities by modulating sensory processing. The superior colliculus is a brain region that is primarily involved in directing attention on a reflexive manner by guiding orienting behaviours towards or away from salient stimuli. Serotonin is a chemical naturally released by the brain that modulates perception depending on the behavioural context. Using the mouse as a model system, we will study how neurons in the superior colliculus help animals focus their attention to visual or auditory stimuli previously associated with a reward. We will also study how serotonin modulates behavioural choices. To do this, a computational and an experimental lab will join forces to capitalise on very large datasets recently acquired. On recent experiments, we have recorded the electrical activity of approximately 6000 neurons over 68 behavioural sessions. Analysis of these recordings will reveal how the activity of superior colliculus neurons relates to the behavioural responses of the mice. In addition, our recent work shows that different serotonin receptors are involved in the modulation of specific superior colliculus neurons and can modulate behavioural responses in different ways. We propose to develop a large-scale realistic model of the superior colliculus circuitry incorporating the receptors that mediate serotonin action. This will allow us to test new hypotheses using this model, reducing the number of experimental animals and allowing the refinement of new experiments. It will also reveal how superior colliculus neurons interact to support the integration of sensory information during orienting behaviours and how they are modulated by serotonin. In the long term, we hope to inform translational work aiding the development of novel neuropsychiatric treatments for sensory processing and attentional disorders.

注意通过调节感觉处理来提高感知能力。上将是一个大脑区域，主要参与以反思方式引导注意力，通过指导将行为指向或远离显着刺激。 5-羟色胺是一种由大脑天然释放的化学物质，它根据行为环境调节感知。我们将使用小鼠作为模型系统，我们将研究上丘的神经元如何帮助动物将注意力集中在以前与奖励相关的视觉或听觉刺激上。我们还将研究5-羟色胺如何调节行为选择。为此，一个计算和实验实验室将联合起来，利用最近获取的非常大的数据集。在最近的实验中，我们记录了68个行为会议上约6000个神经元的电活动。对这些记录的分析将揭示上丘神经元的活性与小鼠的行为反应有关。此外，我们最近的工作表明，不同的5-羟色胺受体参与了特定上丘神经元的调节，并且可以以不同的方式调节行为反应。我们建议开发出融合了介导5-羟色胺作用的受体的上凸孔电路的大规模逼真模型。这将使我们能够使用该模型检验新的假设，减少实验动物的数量并允许新实验的完善。它还将揭示上丘神经元如何相互作用以支持定向行为期间感觉信息的整合以及如何通过5-羟色胺调节它们。从长远来看，我们希望为转化工作提供帮助，以帮助新的神经精神疗法的发展进行感官处理和注意力障碍。