Role of different ripples in memory encoding

2014 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 26750378
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: MIDDLETON STEVEN 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, 研究員 (60526797)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: hippocampus / sleep / ripples / electrical coupling / gap junctions

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

A large portion of the data is already collected and initial results look promising. Currently I am collecting more data and writing code for analysis in Matlab. The next stage of the project will involve pharmacological manipulation of ripples in vivo, to try and establish what role gap junctions and electrical coupling play in generating this activity. Currently this is a source of intense debate within the community with arguments for and against their role in generating ripples. I plan to attend the society for neuroscience conference in Chicago this year and present preliminary data, to get feedback from other experts in the field.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

So far, everything appears to have gone according to the original proposal.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

Continue to gather more data, the experiments currently are the time limiting factor since the inducible mutant takes over 1 month to occur. Also I am continuing to write matlab code for the analysis of the data.

Causes of Carryover

More equipment will be needed in the second year.

Expenditure Plan for Carryover Budget

More experiments are needed than originally planned, which means more consumable parts for Microdrive and electrodes are needed.