Optogenetic study of neural architecture involved in the spatiotemporal tactile pattern recognition

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25250001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Yawo Hiromu 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 教授 (00144353)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大原 慎也 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 助教 (10570038) ; 住吉 晃 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 助教 (80612530)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MUSHIAKE Hajime 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (80219849) ; ISHIZUKA Toru 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 講師 (10344714)
• Research Collaborator: ABE Kenta ; YOKOYAMA Yukinobu ; SAKURAGI Shigeo ; KANAYA Teppei ; IGARASHI Hiroyuki ; EGAWA Ryo ; Hososhima Shoko ; Mishima Takaaki ; Koizumi Kyo ; Asano Toshifumi ; Honjoh Tatsuya ; Liu Yueren ; HOQUE Mohammad Razuanul ; TEH Daniel B. L. ; ZAMANI Alemeh
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: オプトジェネティクス / 光遺伝学 / 大脳皮質 / バレル野 / 知覚閾値 / 可塑性 / 相互抑制 / カラム様機能構築

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The neural activity was electrophysiologically recorded from the surface layer of barrel cortex while the multiple whiskers of a W-TChR2V4 rat were optogenetically stimulated with a certain spatiotemporal pattern. The results suggested the presence of two types of whisker-barrel projections in combination, the zone projection and the topographical projection. Using a W-TChR2V4 rat, the behavioral responses were conditioned with the optogenetic stimulation of whisker area as a cue. The perceptual threshold was evaluated by the response time, which was measured quantitatively with high precision, and was significantly reduced by the early visual deprivation of the animal.
We fabricated an all-optical system to measure the neuronal activity by light in the layer 5 of mouse S1 cortex while providing optogenetic inputs in it. As a result of reciprocal inhibition among cortical neurons, a column-like architecture was functionally emerged around the cortical input.

Free Research Field

オプトジェネティクス、光遺伝学、神経生理学、イオンチャネル