| TITLE |
| Information processing mechanisms of multi-system in the frontal cortex of the primate. |
| OBJECT |
| In ordinary life, the primate including monkeys executes multi-task at the same time. For example, a professional chess player can play the game with multi-opponents simultaneously without the chessboard and chessmen. Then, questions have arisen that which regions in the central nervous system participate such a complex work, and how neuronal mechanisms are involved in cognitive processes. To clarify neural basis of this process, we have required the monkey to perform the dual-task simultaneously and then, we have intended to record neuronal activity in the dorsal premotor (PMd) and prefrontal (PF) cortices. In the first monkey, recently, we have started to record neuronal activity form the PMd and PF. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
SHIMA, Keisetsu |
Tohoku University |
System neurophysiology |
All aspects of this study, including the design of the experiment, collecting and analyzing the data, and writing the manuscript. |
| Collaborator |
NAKAJIMA, Toshi |
Tohoku University |
System neurophysiology & modeling |
Assist in experimental design, collecting the data, data analysis and manuscript preparation. |
| TITLE |
| under construction |
Functional differentiation and interaction of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the frontal cortex as mechanisms for dynamic emergence of behavioral commands
| OBJECT |
| It is one of the important roles for the information processing in the brain how to build harmonious relationships with the environment or others. So as to adapt their complex and indefinite behaviors, the information processing in the brain also needs to be complex and dynamical. In order to reveal the underlying neuronal mechanisms behind the complex mechanisms in emerging behavioral commands in the brain, here we sort excitatory and inhibitory neurons in each area of the frontal cortex, and analyze their functional differentiation and interaction. Especially, we utilize various analytic methods in the theory of complexity so as to reveal the emergence process of behavioral commands to be an attractor dynamics. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
SAKAMOTO, Kazuhiro |
Tohoku University |
Computational neuroscience and neurophysiology |
General planning and execution of this study |
| Collaborator |
MUSHIAKE, Hajime |
Tohoku University |
Neurophysiology |
Supervising |
| TITLE |
| Dynamic assemble of new neuron circuits in hetero brain circuitry |
| OBJECT |
| New neurons generated in the hippocampal formation, and the new neurons circuit is integrated in ippocampal circuitry. This new circuit is built into an existing hetero brain circuit systematically. Moreover, the activity of an existing circuit controls the process of new neuron circuit formation, in a feeding back mode. The most important thing is the space memory by this new neuron circuit. In the present study, the dynamics of the newborn neuron circuit concerning this space learning is extracted, and we perform modeling the circuit assembly. In the previous studies, we found that the GABAergic network controls the generation of new neurons (Neuron, 47: 803-815 (2005)) and that the cholinergic system regulates the formation of new neuron circuit (Eur. J. Neuroscience, 28, 2381-2392 (2008)). In the present study, we collected physiological data from hippocampal slices and from living animals to model assembling mechanism for new neurons in hetero brain system, since this circuit plays an indispensable role in the space learning, and it ties to modeling communications. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
HISATSUNE, Tatsuhiro |
The University of Tokyo |
Neurophysiology |
Physiological analysis |
| Collaborator |
INOKUCHI, Kaoru |
University of Toyama |
Neuroscience |
Support for Behavioral analysis |
| TITLE |
| Mechanism of integration of heterogeneous information in dendrites |
| OBJECT |
| Recent experimental findings such as dendritic spikes, back-propagating action potentials along dendrite suggest that the dendrite contributes more to neural computation than previously thought. Membrane resistance, which is a membrane property, is strongly suggested to be spatially segregated over the dendrite of the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron, and this segregation of membrane resistance may correspond to the segregation of different kinds of input information projecting to the dendrite. Therefore, the heterogeneity in the dendritic membrane properties may influence how different kinds of input information are integrated. However, it is unclear how the dendritic integration is realized by the heterogeneity in both the dendritic membrane properties and input information. Moreover, the spatial distribution of membrane properties over the dendrite is unknown due to the difficulty in its direct measurements. In this study, we investigate how the dendritic information integration is realized under the heterogeneity in both the input information and dendritic membrane properties. We develop a method to estimate the spatial distribution of membrane properties over the dendrite from experimental data. Furthermore, we investigate how the heterogeneous information is integrated over the dendrite by using theoretical analysis.
|
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
OMORI, Toshiaki |
The University of Tokyo |
Theoretical Neuroscience |
Manage the research project, and perform statistical estimations, theoretical and numerical analyses of mathematical models |
| Collaborator |
OKADA, Masato |
The University of Tokyo |
Theoretical Neuroscience |
Perform theoretical studies collaboratively |
| TITLE |
| A prototype model of intra communication in brain based on chaos of recurrent neural network |
| OBJECT |
| To investigate the mechanism of intra communications between far distant functional area in mammalian brain |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
NARA, Shigetoshi |
Okayama University |
Physical Informatics, Device physics, Nonlinear dynamics |
Planning of research works, Executing of computer experiments, Governing of hardware experiments |
| Collaborator |
NAGAYA, Tomoyuki |
Oita University |
Pattern dynamics of liquid crystals |
Data analysis of pattern dynamics |
| Collaborator |
ISU, Toshiro |
Tokushima University |
Device material design |
Crystal growth of thin film for pseudo-neuron device |
| Collaborator |
MIZOGUCHI, Koji |
Osaka Prefectural University |
Optical material engineering |
Processes of device fabrications |
| Collaborator |
TOKUDA, Yasunori |
Okayama Prefectural University |
Semiconductor and optical device engineering |
Experimental evaluation of pseudo-neuron devices |
| Collaborator |
FUKUSHIMA, Takehiro |
Okayama Prefectural University |
Optical device physics |
Experimental evaluation of pseudo-neuron devices |
| TITLE |
| Neural network analysis of hippocampal formation in zebra finch with fluorescent imaging techniques |
| OBJECT |
The object of this study is to comprehensively elucidate the neuronal function of hippocampal formation in bird brain. Because the hippocampal formation of the bird is located on the surface of the brain, we can apply several in vivo bioimaging techniques for detecting the neuronal activities. We will also aim to demonstrate the correspondence between the mammalian hippocampal formation and bird’s one, and focus on the following items:
- Neuronal projection and cytoarchitecture in hippocampal formation
- Visualization of neuronal activities and plasticity by Ca and multi-color Golgi imaging
- In vivo neuronal activity imaging with fluorescent pH indicator
- Construction of mathematical model for describing the neuronal activities in hippocampal formation.
|
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
OKA, Kotaro |
Keio University |
Biophysics, Neuro-informatics |
Designing, planning and executing the whole project and experiments |
| TITLE |
| Neural mechanism of information exploration and exploitation |
| OBJECT |
| Purpose of this study is investigating neural mechanism of decision-making under uncertain world. Our brain is able to find significant information related to achieve our goal from thousands of sensory input. We focus on investigating how our brains find meaningful information related to get reward, In order to reveal neural basis of such exploratory behaviors, we required the monkeys to perform a reinforcement-learning task with multiple visual stimuli including both relevant and irrelevant information about reward. We are constructing a computational model of exploratory choice behavior that could directly predict the monkey choice, and also could be compared to the recorded the neural activity in the basal ganglia. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
SAMEJIMA, Kazuyuki |
Tamagawa University |
Computational neuroscience |
Organizing and execution of the project, designing experiment, data acquisition, analysis of neural activity and modeling of behavior. |
| TITLE |
| Functional analysis of inhibitory synapses in the microcircuitry of cerebral cortex |
| OBJECT |
| Neurons receive thousands of synaptic inputs onto their dendrites and soma, and spatially and temporally integrate these inputs to produce appropriate output in the form of action potentials generated in axons. We would like to find out the function of inhibitory synapse in the cortical microcircuitry. We analyze inhibitory synapses of a FS basket cell on a pyramidal cell using combined morphological, physiological and modeling method. We hope we can elucidate the fundamental functional mechanism of cortical inhibitory signal. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
KUBOTA, Yoshiyuki |
National Institute for Physiological Sciences |
Neuroscience |
All aspects of this study, including the design of the experiment, collecting and analyzing the data, and writing the manuscript. |
| TITLE |
| Transition of multineuronal activity in neocortex and hippocampus during motor expression |
| OBJECT |
| We previously established a new experimental approach to examine microcircuitry mechanisms of motor information processing in the motor cortex, using multiunit (and juxtacellular) recordings from cortical neurons of head-fixed rats performing a forelimb movement task. In the present study, we are going to examine a dynamical transition of multineuronal activity in association with self-initiation of motor behavior in the motor cortex and hippocampus of the task-performing rats. We will explore a functional correlation of multineuronal activity between these two regions. In addition, our in vitro experiments using multiphoton laser-scanning microscopy with UV uncaging stimulation will reveal signal coding and processing in hippocampal neurons. The experimental data that we acquire here will be provided for collaborators in theoretical neuroscience. |
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
ISOMURA, Yoshikazu |
Tamagawa University |
Neurophysiology |
In vivo experiments focusing on signal processing in the neocortex and hippocampus
|
| Collaborator |
FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhiro |
Tamagawa University |
Neurophysiology |
In vitro experiments focusing on signal processing in the hippocampus |
| TITLE |
| Neural representation responsible for communication with sequential signals. |
| OBJECT |
| One of the songbirds (Bengalese finch) has a specialized brain area (song system) for song production, learning, and cognition. Especially, in the brain nuclei HVC (equivalent to cortex), LMAN (equivalent to cortex), and Area X (equivalent to basal ganglia), there are neurons selectively respond to typical song element sequence. It means that these nuclei are involved in sequential information processing. On the other hands, a dynamical neural representation for sequential signals with fractal set has been proposed by theorists, and called as Cantor coding. Recent studies in hippocampus slice preparation verified this dynamical coding scheme. However, those in vitro studies were executed using artificial electrical stimulations, which are not biologically plausible stimuli. Therefore, in this study, we investigate trajectories constructed from multi-unit recording from HVC, LMAN, and Area X in the Bengalese finch driven by random sequence stimulus of song elements, and try to verify the Cantor coding in vivo using biologically plausible stimuli. In addition, we conduct simultaneous multi-unit recording from male and female birds during courtship behavior. We investigate entrainment phenomena among neural dynamics in each bird, analyze the correspondence between clusters of fractal sets in each bird, and reveal the relation between neural representation and success rate of mating behavior. Taken together, we try to unveil the neural mechanism responsible for communication with sequential signals.
|
| |
NAME |
AFFILIATION |
SPECIALTY |
ROLE |
| Leader |
NISHIKAWA, Jun |
Hokkaido University |
Neurophysiology, Neuroinformatics |
Organizing and execution of the project |