Molecular Analysis of Visual Plasticity

视觉可塑性的分子分析

• 批准号: 7140476
• 负责人: Samuel M Kunes
• 金额: $ 20.02万
• 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/7140476
• 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）：对于不同实验系统中依赖于经验的行为可塑性已经进行了大量研究，但对于这种可塑性在感觉信息处理中如何发生的知之甚少，特别是在光和视觉方面。该提案的目的是开发一种新的范式，利用果蝇的趋光视觉反应来研究经验依赖性可塑性。我们设计了一种分支迷宫装置，可以根据波长或光/暗偏好以及趋光行走行为对苍蝇进行分类。我们还开发了一种调节范式，可以产生明/暗偏好的强烈变化，这可以通过迷宫中的表现来精确测量。我们寻求支持以进一步开发这种调节范式和行为测定，以确定记忆的阶段以及如何通过调节协议的变化来调节这些阶段。我们将努力定位其功能被调节以产生可塑性的神经元。我们将构建一个自动化训练和分析装置，用于大规模寻找在这种行为可塑性中发挥作用的基因。从长远来看，我们希望将这种方法发展成为行为可塑性研究的重要实验范式，与正在进行的嗅觉行为可塑性工作形成鲜明对比，并为理解视觉系统可塑性提供一个新的窗口功能及其行为后果。