Imaging of neural inputs to the mouse visual cortex under top-down attention

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871135
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience; Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Takamasa 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, 研究員 (50525904)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: トップダウン型注意 / 視覚的注意 / 頭部固定型課題 / マウス視覚野 / 皮質ネットワーク / カルシウムイメージング / 全脳広域イメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although it is thought that attentional top-down signal from higher-order cortices regulates neural activity in the visual cortex, there has been no direct evidence. In this study, I have planned, firstly, to develop a visual attention task system using head-restricted mice and, secondly, to capture top-down input signal as calcium signal at the axon terminals using two-photon microscopy. However, some studies that introduced the similar concept were published after starting this study. The latter part was changed into development of a wide-field calcium imaging system in order to improve the achievement level of the goal. As a result, the cortex-wide imaging suggested a mechanism of multisensory integration involving attention in the association cortices.

Free Research Field

神経科学