Cortical pathways and synaptic mechanisms for texture discrimination learning in rodents
Award Number
BB/T007028/1Programme
Research GrantStatus / Stage
CompletedDates
1 April 2020 -31 March 2023
Duration (calculated)
02 years 11 monthsFunder(s)
BBSRC (UKRI)Funding Amount
£721,851.00Funder/Grant study page
BBSRC UKRIContracted Centre
Cardiff UniversityPrincipal Investigator
Professor Kevin FoxPI Contact
FoxKD@cardiff.ac.ukPI ORCID
0000-0002-2563-112XWHO Catergories
Understanding Underlying DiseaseDisease Type
Dementia (Unspecified)CPEC Review Info
| Reference ID | 679 |
|---|---|
| Researcher | Reside Team |
| Published | 07/07/2023 |
Data
| Award Number | BB/T007028/1 |
|---|---|
| Status / Stage | Completed |
| Start Date | 20200401 |
| End Date | 20230331 |
| Duration (calculated) | 02 years 11 months |
| Funder/Grant study page | BBSRC UKRI |
| Contracted Centre | Cardiff University |
| Funding Amount | £721,851.00 |
Abstract
We aim to understand (i) the functional anatomy of texture processing in the rodent cortex (ii) how information is coded at different stages in the pathway (iii) how and where structural plasticity is used to learn a texture discrimination and (iv) when cortical activity is required for memory consolidation. It is known that texture information from the whisker system is partly represented as timing information in S1 cortex and that the hippocampus responds to somatosensory stimuli. Less is known about the route by which information transfer occurs between the two locations and less still about neuronal encoding at different stages in the pathway. Here, we will use bilateral virally-delivered DREADDs to inactivate specific cortical areas in our hypothesised pathway between SI and Hippocampus, a pathway that is homologous to the primate ventral stream. In combination, we will use simultaneous multisite recordings from neurones in the putative ventral stream to monitor the transformation of coding from one area to the next and its adaptation during texture discrimination learning. To understand where and how plasticity enables learning and whether the same cortical structures are involved, we will study structural plasticity in different cortical layers of S1 and, using retrograde labelling, S1 neurones projecting to ventral stream structures. We will study whether new synapse formation and stable dendritic spine enlargement occurs during discrimination learning and how well these factors are correlated with the discrimination performance in individual animals. We will use a novel molecular probe directed to label newly formed dendritic spines to erase the newly formed spines and thereby determine if there is a causal relationship between new spine formation and the learned discrimination. Finally, we will determine when and where the consolidation period for memory formation occurs by inactivating specific areas with DREADDs after the learning has taken place.
Aims
We aim to understand (i) the functional anatomy of texture processing in the rodent cortex (ii) how information is coded at different stages in the pathway (iii) how and where structural plasticity is used to learn a texture discrimination and (iv) when cortical activity is required for memory consolidation.