CIRCUIT ANALYSIS · Functional analysis of neural circuits identified by molecular markers and trans-synaptic tracers
6РП — Действия „Мария Кюри“
- Период
- 2006-11-01 → 2008-10-31
- Финансиране от ЕС
- 184 021 €
- Участници
- 1
- Схема
- EIF
Линиите свързват координатора с партньорите. За проекти отпреди 2014 г. CORDIS не винаги дава точни координати. Тези точки са на ниво град или държава.
Накратко на български
Невронните връзки в ретината се анализират, за да се разбере как окото разпознава приближаващи се обекти. Тези знания помагат за разработването на методи за възстановяване на зрението чрез внедряване на светлочувствителни протеини в специфични клетки.
Кратко обяснение, генерирано от езиков модел по текста на CORDIS. Оригиналът е по-долу.
Резултати накратко
Final Activity Report Summary - CIRCUIT ANALYSIS (Functional analysis of neural circuits identified by molecular markers and trans-synaptic tracers)
In the project funded by this Marie Curie Fellowship, the proposed goal was to investigate the circuitry and functional connections of neurons in the retina, to gain insight into the workings of neural circuits in the retina in particular, and ultimately of the brain. Thomas Münch has discovered a novel form of processing of neural circuits, and a novel image processing function performed by the retina: he discovered how the retina can recognize approaching objects. The detection and avoidance of approaching objects, for example of charging predators, is important for any animal. It has long been known that animals show stereotyped behavioural responses to approaching visual stimuli, but until now it has not been known how the circuits in the nervous system can distinguish approaching from non-approaching stimuli. In a second project, the fundamental knowledge about the retina could be applied to a novel form of treating blindness, by applying a microbial light-sensitive protein to specific cells in the retina. As a consequence, these cells can now take over the function of the dying photoreceptors. Together with other colleagues in the laboratory of Botond Roska at the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Basel, Thomas Münch has shown in a mouse model of retinal degeneration, that this treatment brings back light responses of the retina, responses of the visual cortex, and light-guided behaviour of the treated animals. After more research and testing, this approach to treating blindness may eventually also be applicable to treating human blindness.
Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз
Цел на проекта
Local neural circuits form the modules of brain function. For example, in the visual system we find individual modules that are specialized to detect the orientation of objects, the colour, the presence of edges, or the direction of movement. The output and therefore the functional property of each module are determined by the interactions of the neurons within the modules. Despite their omnipresence, however, very little is known about the functional properties of local circuits.Their systematic investigation has been hindered by the sheer number of cells, and by the diversity especially of interneurons. This made repeated and reliable recordings from neurons of an identified circuit almost impossible. In this proposal I describe a novel and multidisciplina ry approach which overcomes this problem. It combines methods using transgenic mice, viruses and molecular biology (to label specific circuits) with electrophysiology and functional imaging (to monitor the activity of the labelled cells).This combination o f methods from diverse fields of biology creates a synergy that allows me to address questions which were previously inaccessible. I can record simultaneously from a population of cells of a single type to assess the encoding of a sensory stimulus in that cell type, and to judge the variability that exists in neural processing; I can asses the role of a cell type by recording from circuits in which I have eliminated this cell type; and I can follow information transmission and processing through every cell of a given circuit by singly or simultaneously recording from different cells in that circuit. Results from this project can also be applied to technical application, for example by building bio-inspired electronic circuits that mimic the computational lay out of the brain to efficiently solve computational problems.
Оригинален текст от CORDIS (на английски).
Участници
- NOVARTIS FORSCHUNGSSTIFTUNG, ZWEIGNIEDERLASSUNG FRIEDRICH MIESCHER INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH · BASELКоординаторНиво градШвейцария
Връзки
Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз