ThaCSIS · Thalamic Control of Sensory Information Selection
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-11-01 → 2023-10-31
- EU contribution
- €178,320
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Thalamic Control of Sensory Information Selection
At any moment, we are exposed to a multitude of sensory inputs, among which we need to select and process the relevant information. A significant function of the cerebral cortex is to process sensory inputs, prioritizing the most behaviorally relevant signals over less important ones, enabling an appropriate action selection and behavioral response. This selective sensory processing is disrupted in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), where individuals cannot properly filter simultaneous sensory inputs. Neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have suggested selective sensory processing involves the coordinated action of the thalamus across an interconnected network of cortical areas. Despite the importance of sensory selection, the neural circuit mechanisms that allow the selective processing of sensory inputs, especially across sensory modalities, remain largely unknown. This project aims to reveal the coordinated activity across sensory cortical regions that allow sensory selection and the role of the thalamus in shaping these interactions. To achieve this goal, I have developed a well-controlled sensory detection assay in mice that allows probing of interactions across sensory visual and somatosensory modalities during sensory selection. I measure large-scale cortical activity to reveal how sensory signals flow in a cortex-wide circuit and how behavioral relevance shapes this flow. Simultaneous optogenetic manipulations of the thalamus reveal its role in cortical reorganization. The results of this work reveal how the cortex and thalamus reconfigure their activity to highlight the most relevant sensory information, as well as provide a mechanistic understanding of what neural circuits drive selective behavioral responses.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
We perceive the world through a multitude of sensory stimuli simultaneously arriving through our five senses . The appropriate selection and integration of this information is crucial for survival. For instance if you are walking in a busy street while you are talking on your phone, not prioritizing the visual input of a car approaching over the voice on the phone may have fatal consequences. The importance of appropriate sensory selection becomes even more evident in cognitive disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or schizophrenia, where individuals are unable to properly filter or process simultaneous channels of sensory inputs. Despite its significance, our knowledge is very limited in understanding the neural mechanisms that allows us to select the relevant signals amongst myriads of simultaneous inputs.My overarching goal in this project is to reveal neural circuits that allow the selection and processing of the right sensory information in the right context. I will first uncover how the sensory signal flow in a cortex-wide neural network is shaped by different behavioral relevance. Next, I will test whether the higher order thalamic nuclei, LP and Pom, mediate these context-dependent modulations of cortical dynamics. This will be done by using large-scale neural measurements of the dorsal neocortex in combination with rodent behavior and circuit dissection tools to reveal context-dependent cortical dynamics and to dissect underlying neural mechanisms. Findings of this project will reveal differential routing of sensory information across cortical networks and identify key brain regions that are involved in gating of behaviorally relevant sensory information. Furthermore the results and the approach will provide the basis to study circuit dysfunction in complex cognitive disorders.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- VIB VZW · ZWIJNAARDE - GENTCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union