CRCNS: Cortical network models of taste processing: dynamics and plasticity

CRCNS：味觉处理的皮层网络模型：动力学和可塑性

基本信息

批准号：
7657269
负责人：
PAUL MILLER
金额：
$ 26.86万
依托单位：
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2008
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2008-07-09 至 2013-06-30
项目状态：
已结题

项目摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The investigators will combine experimental studies with computational simulations to uncover the neural underpinnings of taste processing. In so doing, they will provide insight into more general facets of sensory processing, such as the cause and effect of trial-to-trial variability, the role of attentiveness on cortical activity and the mechanisms of conditioning whereby a previously palatable substance is rendered unpalatable following a single association with nausea. These studies will use simulations to assess how variability at one scale can either enhance or reduce variability at a larger scale during normal cortical functioning. The studies will also use models and simulations, to uncover what changes in connections or cellular properties in a network of neurons lead to the altered behavioral response to a sensory stimulus seen in taste learning. Taste is an important, though underutilized, modality for addressing issues of sensory processing, since it has a strong connection to behavior and survival and can produce strong, rapid yet long-lasting learning. Moreover, recently the investigators have uncovered correlated changes of neural activity with the state of attentiveness of an animal during taste processing. The investigators will test how these attention-dependent changes of neural activity arise and will use simulations to assess the possible functional role of such changes. A transformative role of the research will be to change the way the apparent randomness of trial-to-trial variability is viewed. Rather than being a nuisance in the observation of neural data, the authors aim to show that such variability is an aspect of neural activity that can both provide information about underlying activity and be beneficial for some aspects of neural processing. An understanding of the modulation of noise, variability and oscillations with attentiveness will be beneficial for addressing deficiencies in all areas of sensory processing. More specifically, these investigations of what brain processes are involved in making one tastant highly desirable and another noxious may have far-flung clinical implications for, for instance, the treatment of some forms of obesity and the alleviation of childhood taste disorders caused by chemotherapy. Furthermore, an improvement in our understanding of normal cortical activity and its modulation by attention (via neuromodulators or by executive areas of the brain) will help us better address problems of abnormal cortical activity such as epilepsy and disorders of executive control associated with schizophrenia.

描述（由申请人提供）：研究人员将实验研究与计算模拟相结合，以揭示味觉处理的神经基础。在此过程中，他们将深入了解感觉处理的更一般方面，例如试验间变异性的原因和影响、注意力对皮质活动的作用以及使先前可口的物质变得不可口的调节机制与恶心有单一关联后。这些研究将使用模拟来评估在正常皮质功能期间，一个尺度的变异性如何增强或减少更大尺度的变异性。这些研究还将使用模型和模拟来揭示神经元网络中连接或细胞特性的变化会导致对味觉学习中的感官刺激的行为反应改变。味觉是解决感官处理问题的一种重要但未被充分利用的方式，因为它与行为和生存有着密切的联系，并且可以产生强大、快速而持久的学习。此外，最近研究人员发现了神经活动的变化与动物在味觉处理过程中的注意力状态的相关变化。研究人员将测试这些依赖于注意力的神经活动变化是如何产生的，并将使用模拟来评估此类变化可能的功能作用。该研究的变革性作用将是改变对试验间变异性的明显随机性的看法。作者的目的不是在神经数据的观察中造成麻烦，而是旨在证明这种变异性是神经活动的一个方面，它既可以提供有关潜在活动的信息，又有益于神经处理的某些方面。集中注意力地理解噪声、变异性和振荡的调制将有助于解决感觉处理所有领域的缺陷。更具体地说，这些关于哪些大脑过程参与使一种促味剂变得非常令人向往而另一种促味剂变得有害的研究可能具有广泛的临床意义，例如，治疗某些形式的肥胖症和缓解化疗引起的儿童味觉障碍。此外，提高我们对正常皮质活动及其通过注意力（通过神经调节剂或大脑执行区域）的调节的理解将有助于我们更好地解决异常皮质活动的问题，例如癫痫和与精神分裂症相关的执行控制障碍。