Parallel processing strategy in mid-tier visual areas in primates

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02596
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46030:Function of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: FUJITA Ichiro 立命館大学, 総合科学技術研究機構, 教授 (60181351)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 西本 伸志 大阪大学, 大学院生命機能研究科, 教授 (00713455) ; 田村 弘 大阪大学, 大学院生命機能研究科, 准教授 (80304038)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 霊長類 / 大脳皮質 / 内因性信号光学記録 / ２光子カルシウムイメージング / 両眼立体視 / テクスチャー知覚 / 並列的情報処理 / 階層的情報処理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The sensory system distributes information of different natures into multiple neural pathways, processing them in parallel based on their content. It is crucial to understand how the system allocates information to specific pathways and where in the higher hierarchy the information from different pathways is integrated , as this is fundamental to comprehending the neural mechanism of sensation and perception. In this study, we established a method to simultaneously visualize the subfield structure of the monkey's cerebral visual areas and the activity of individual neurons. We elucidated how information related to visual texture perception and binocular stereopsis is represented in the early and intermediate stages of the visual pathways. Combining these findings with knowledge of the neural connections specific to each subfield advanced our understanding of how different visual information is processed in parallel in the early and intermediate stages of the visual pathways.

Free Research Field

システム神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

霊長類に属するサルの大脳皮質における情報処理機構を明らかにすることは、ヒトにおける情報処理機構の理解を進めるとともに、損傷や変性疾患により生じる症状の理解、ケアの実施、将来の治療法開発に向けての重要なステップである。本研究で開発した、「大脳皮質の広範囲にわたって領野・サブ領野を可視化した上で、それぞれの領野・サブ領野に含まれる個々の神経細胞の活動をモニターする手法」はその際の重要な武器となる。