At present, there is a large gap between in vivo behavioral studies of learning and memory, and in vitro studies of the cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. A neuroscience research tool will be created that bridges this gap by providing a network of cultured cortical neurons with a computer-simulated body, and a virtual reality in which to behave. This new paradigm for studying learning in vitro is enabled by recent advances in computing power and multi-electrode array substrates. A long-term, 2-way interface between a computer and a cultured neural network will be created. Software tools that recognize emergent patterns of network activity will be developed, and used to trigger distributed patterns of electrical stimulation in real time. The effects of this sensory-motor feedback loop will be studied at the millisecond time scale by optical recording using our custom high-speed CCD camera. Changes in neuronal connectivity and morphology will be followed on the scale of minutes, hours and days using our 2-photon laser scanning microscope. Two-photon microscopy allows extended high- resolution imaging of living cells without harming them or bleaching the fluorescent label. It is clear that neural systems process and store information in a distributed fashion. Single-unit neurophysiology research is likely to miss many of the emergent properties of distributed information processing. By combining many-unit electrophysiology and optical recording with non-destructive 2-photon imaging in an in vitro system capable of behaving and learning, it will be possible to observe changes in subcellular, cellular, and network properties that underlie learning and memory. By studying the mechanisms of information processing and storage in small networks of neurons, models of mental impairment from disease or aging can be examined with unprecedented detail. Information about how living neural networks function will promote the creation of more human-like computing systems.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS038628-05
Application #
6540086
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-7 (04))
Program Officer
Pancrazio, Joseph J
Project Start
1999-04-01
Project End
2004-03-31
Budget Start
2002-04-01
Budget End
2004-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$297,128
Indirect Cost
Name
Georgia Institute of Technology
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
097394084
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30332
Bakkum, Douglas J; Chao, Zenas C; Potter, Steve M (2008) Long-term activity-dependent plasticity of action potential propagation delay and amplitude in cortical networks. PLoS One 3:e2088
Bakkum, Douglas J; Chao, Zenas C; Potter, Steve M (2008) Spatio-temporal electrical stimuli shape behavior of an embodied cortical network in a goal-directed learning task. J Neural Eng 5:310-23
Chao, Zenas C; Bakkum, Douglas J; Potter, Steve M (2008) Shaping embodied neural networks for adaptive goal-directed behavior. PLoS Comput Biol 4:e1000042
Madhavan, Radhika; Chao, Zenas C; Potter, Steve M (2007) Plasticity of recurring spatiotemporal activity patterns in cortical networks. Phys Biol 4:181-93
Rolston, J D; Wagenaar, D A; Potter, S M (2007) Precisely timed spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity in dissociated cortical cultures. Neuroscience 148:294-303
Bakkum, Douglas J; Gamblen, Philip M; Ben-Ary, Guy et al. (2007) MEART: The Semi-Living Artist. Front Neurorobotics 1:5
Chao, Zenas C; Bakkum, Douglas J; Potter, Steve M (2007) Region-specific network plasticity in simulated and living cortical networks: comparison of the center of activity trajectory (CAT) with other statistics. J Neural Eng 4:294-308
Bakkum, Douglas J; Chao, Zenas C; Gamblen, Phil et al. (2007) Embodying cultured networks with a robotic drawing arm. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2007:2996-9
Madhavan, Radhika; Chao, Zenas C; Wagenaar, Daniel A et al. (2006) Multi-site stimulation quiets network-wide spontaneous bursts and enhances functional plasticity in cultured cortical networks. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 1:1593-6
Wagenaar, Daniel A; Pine, Jerome; Potter, Steve M (2006) An extremely rich repertoire of bursting patterns during the development of cortical cultures. BMC Neurosci 7:11

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