Objective
We have a comprehensive understanding of how the brain reacts to simple sensory stimuli but we are only starting to explore the way sensory systems respond to complex natural stimuli. The vibrissal system of the rodent is one of the dominant models for investigating sensory information processing. Neurons in the vibrissal cortical representation have extended subthreshold receptive fields (RF). This suggests that rat barrel cortex has broad cortico-cortical connections that provide a substrate for complex spatio-temporal interactions over different time-scales such as the context-dependent modulation of RFs or the learning induced plasticity.Context-dependent vibrissal interactions, naturally produced in the behaving animal, have not been investigated in the barrel cortex. Here, a stimulation matrix allowing independent stimulation of 25 vibrissae will be developed in Dr Shulz and apos;s lab. We will record extra- and intracellular responses to impulse stimulations in different spatial positions across the vibrissal pad. Analysis will be done by an inverse correlation technique that allows the rapid characterization of the RF 2D structure. We will explore the interactions between responses to individual vibrissae by using temporally complex sequences of stimulation mimicking the whisker deflections naturally produced by the contact of several vibrissae with an object. High-order interactions induced by such patterns of vibrissae deflections will be described using nonlinear systems analysis. The results will be a step forward in understanding the functioning of a primary sensory cortex at an integrative level. The researcher will use his past experience in vibrissal system to explore a different brain region (barrel cortex) with new techniques (intracellular recordings) and analysis tools (nonlinear analysis). The training will give him new, complimentary competence contributing to scientific maturity and establishing new collaboration networks within Europe.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Keywords
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European FellowshipsCoordinator
PARIS
France