Molecular Analysis of Visual Plasticity

视觉可塑性的分子分析

• 批准号: 6969017
• 负责人: Samuel M Kunes
• 金额: $ 23万
• 依托单位: HARVARD UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-08-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6969017
• 关键词: Drosophilidae; association learning; behavior test; behavioral /social science research tag; conditioning; dark adaptation; genetic screening; light adaptations; light intensity; memory; neural information processing; neural plasticity; neurons; photobiology; preference; sensory mechanism; visual perception; visual photosensitivity

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There has been considerable study of experience-dependent behavioral plasticity in different experimental systems, but little is known of how such plasticity occurs in the processing of sensory information, particularly with respect to light and vision. The objective of this proposal is to develop a new paradigm for the study of experience-dependent plasticity using the phototactic visual response of Drosophila melanogaster. We have devised a branching maze device that sorts flies according to wavelength or light/dark preference and phototactic walking behavior. We have also developed a conditioning paradigm that yields strong changes in light/dark preference, which can be precisely measured by performance in the maze. We seek support to further develop this conditioning paradigm and behavioral assay, to determine the phases of memory and how these are modulated by variation of the conditioning protocol. We will work towards localizing the neurons whose function is modulated to yield plasticity. We will construct an automated training and assay apparatus, which will be employed in a large-scale search for genes that play a role in this form of behavioral plasticity. In the longer term, we hope to develop this approach into an important experimental paradigm for the study of behavioral plasticity, to serve as a distinct parallel to ongoing work in olfactory behavioral plasticity, and to provide a new window on understanding the plasticity of visual system function and its behavioral consequences.

描述（由申请人提供）：在不同的实验系统中，已经进行了大量研究，但对这种可塑性的处理是如何在感觉信息处理中发生的，尤其是在光和视力方面，几乎不知道这种可塑性。该提案的目的是开发一种新的范式，以使用果蝇的光疗法响应来研究经验依赖性可塑性。我们已经设计了一种分支迷宫装置，该设备根据波长或光/黑暗偏好和光性步行行为进行奔跑。我们还开发了一种调理范式，该范式在光/深色偏好方面产生了强烈的变化，可以通过迷宫中的性能来精确衡量。我们寻求支持以进一步开发这种条件范式和行为分析，以确定记忆阶段以及如何通过调节方案的变化来调节这些范围。我们将致力于定位其功能调节以产生可塑性的神经元。我们将构建一种自动训练和测定设备，该设备将用于大规模搜索以这种行为可塑性形式发挥作用的基因。从长远来看，我们希望将这种方法发展为重要的实验范式，以研究行为可塑性，作为与嗅觉行为可塑性中正在进行的工作的独特相似之处，并为了解视觉系统的可塑性提供了新的窗口功能及其行为后果。