Establishing how features of the visual world are represented in the activity of cortical circuits, and how these representations are constructed during development remain fundamental challenges for visual neuroscience and are central to understanding the neural basis of visual perception and disorders of cortical function. The experiments in this proposal continue our analysis of the functional organization and development of columnar representations in layer 2/3 of ferret visual cortex. Preliminary evidence suggests an important new dimension to the representation of visual stimuli by layer 2/3 cortical circuits: a columnar architecture composed of neurons that respond preferentially to diffuse luminance increments (ON) or luminance decrements (OFF). By using a combination of techniques for in vivo imaging of functional ON and OFF inputs at the columnar and cellular level of resolution, we will test the hypothesis that ON and OFF responses to diffuse illumination are arranged in a modular fashion in layer 2/3 of visual cortex, explore the cellular basis for thi columnar architecture and its relation to the representation of orientation preference, and probe the contribution of experience independent and dependent mechanisms to its development. Taken together these experiments will yield novel insights into the functional organization and development of the cortical circuits that mediate visual perception, providing the foundational knowledge for addressing a broad range of neurological and psychiatric disorders that impact cortical circuit function.
The cerebral cortex is the largest and most complex area of the brain, comprising 20 billion neurons and 60 trillion synapses--a neuronal network whose proper function is critical for sensory perception, motor control, and cognition. This proposal wil expand our understanding of the function and development of cortical circuits, focusing on a newly discovered columnar circuit in primary visual cortex that responds to large-scale changes in luminance. The knowledge gained from these experiments will further our understanding of cortical function and development, providing insights relevant for addressing disorders that impact visual processing, and a broader range of neurological and psychiatric disorders that derive from cortical circuit alterations.
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| Scholl, Benjamin; Wilson, Daniel E; Fitzpatrick, David (2017) Local Order within Global Disorder: Synaptic Architecture of Visual Space. Neuron 96:1127-1138.e4 |
| Lu, Rongwen; Sun, Wenzhi; Liang, Yajie et al. (2017) Video-rate volumetric functional imaging of the brain at synaptic resolution. Nat Neurosci 20:620-628 |
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| Smith, Gordon B; Fitzpatrick, David (2016) Viral Injection and Cranial Window Implantation for In Vivo Two-Photon Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 1474:171-85 |
| Wilson, Daniel E; Whitney, David E; Scholl, Benjamin et al. (2016) Orientation selectivity and the functional clustering of synaptic inputs in primary visual cortex. Nat Neurosci 19:1003-9 |
| Dimidschstein, Jordane; Chen, Qian; Tremblay, Robin et al. (2016) A viral strategy for targeting and manipulating interneurons across vertebrate species. Nat Neurosci 19:1743-1749 |
| Smith, Gordon B; Whitney, David E; Fitzpatrick, David (2015) Modular Representation of Luminance Polarity in the Superficial Layers of Primary Visual Cortex. Neuron 88:805-18 |
| Smith, Gordon B; Sederberg, Audrey; Elyada, Yishai M et al. (2015) The development of cortical circuits for motion discrimination. Nat Neurosci 18:252-61 |
| Meng, Yicong; Tanaka, Shigeru; Poon, Chi-Sang (2012) Comment on ""Universality in the evolution of orientation columns in the visual cortex"". Science 336:413; author reply 413 |
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