Neural integration of active sensing, body posture and spatial representation in rats
1 Formål
The main objectives of this application are (i) to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying active sensation in freely behaving animals, (ii) to understand how sensory inputs from the environment are integrated with internally-generated neural signals for 3D posture, and (iii) to understand how neural representations transition from body-based to world-based reference frames in freely behaving animals. To achieve these goals, we shall combine large-scale neurophysiological recordings with 3D tracking in freely behaving rats, as in prior FOTS protocols, but will here integrate a lightweight, head-mounted facial tracker, and introduce tasks in which we measure visual perception while reconstructing the animals’ gaze.
2 Skadevirkninger
These studies will require implanting chronic recording electrodes as well as optic fibers and adenoassociated virus (AAV). Some animals will undergo one surgery, while others will have a maximum of two. The rats may experience moderate short-term pain in the first days following drive implantation, a surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia and analgesia. Duration of experiments will range from 4 weeks to 7 months.
3 Forventet nytteverdi
This project brings both methodological and scientific benefits that will have an impact on the field, beyond our own experiments. The methodological benefit will be the open sourcing of a suite of software tools we will develop to visualize how rodents use their eyes and whiskers/vibrissae to guide their natural behavior in 3D. We will use these tools to build an unprecedented models for sensory and motor integration in the brain but, once open sourced, the same platform will be available for any lab to use. Such technology could benefit many sub-fields in behavioral neuroscience, including the study of social interactions, motor learning in young animals, motor deterioration in aging animals or behavioral pathology in neurodegenerative models.
4 Antall dyr og art
100 rats
5 Hvordan etterleve 3R
Replacement: For direct investigation of the link between cellular activity patterns and unrestrained behavior, there is presently no substitute for the use of animals. However, scientific advance can be improved, and the need for animal experiments can be reduced, by close interaction between experimental and computational approaches to neuroscience. Although computational modelling is not the central focus for our research group, our work is guided by computational models and we will have close interactions with computational neuroscientists during the project, both within and outside the Kavli Institute.
Reduction: A maximal amount of information is sampled from each animal, and measures are taken to maximize the chances of getting useful data from every single experimental subject (e.g. sterile surgery conditions, healthy animals). We have also recently implemented next-generation Neuropixel recording probes in our experiments, which allow us to obtain statistically meaningful datasets with fewer animals than before.
Refinement: We ensure that conditions in the animal house are the best possible. Implanted animals are housed in large cages (50×50×50 cm) and are handled frequently. We will also make use of enriched environments, which consist of large (2m x 1m) cages full of objects to which the animals are exposed regularly before the start of experiments
The main objectives of this application are (i) to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying active sensation in freely behaving animals, (ii) to understand how sensory inputs from the environment are integrated with internally-generated neural signals for 3D posture, and (iii) to understand how neural representations transition from body-based to world-based reference frames in freely behaving animals. To achieve these goals, we shall combine large-scale neurophysiological recordings with 3D tracking in freely behaving rats, as in prior FOTS protocols, but will here integrate a lightweight, head-mounted facial tracker, and introduce tasks in which we measure visual perception while reconstructing the animals’ gaze.
2 Skadevirkninger
These studies will require implanting chronic recording electrodes as well as optic fibers and adenoassociated virus (AAV). Some animals will undergo one surgery, while others will have a maximum of two. The rats may experience moderate short-term pain in the first days following drive implantation, a surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia and analgesia. Duration of experiments will range from 4 weeks to 7 months.
3 Forventet nytteverdi
This project brings both methodological and scientific benefits that will have an impact on the field, beyond our own experiments. The methodological benefit will be the open sourcing of a suite of software tools we will develop to visualize how rodents use their eyes and whiskers/vibrissae to guide their natural behavior in 3D. We will use these tools to build an unprecedented models for sensory and motor integration in the brain but, once open sourced, the same platform will be available for any lab to use. Such technology could benefit many sub-fields in behavioral neuroscience, including the study of social interactions, motor learning in young animals, motor deterioration in aging animals or behavioral pathology in neurodegenerative models.
4 Antall dyr og art
100 rats
5 Hvordan etterleve 3R
Replacement: For direct investigation of the link between cellular activity patterns and unrestrained behavior, there is presently no substitute for the use of animals. However, scientific advance can be improved, and the need for animal experiments can be reduced, by close interaction between experimental and computational approaches to neuroscience. Although computational modelling is not the central focus for our research group, our work is guided by computational models and we will have close interactions with computational neuroscientists during the project, both within and outside the Kavli Institute.
Reduction: A maximal amount of information is sampled from each animal, and measures are taken to maximize the chances of getting useful data from every single experimental subject (e.g. sterile surgery conditions, healthy animals). We have also recently implemented next-generation Neuropixel recording probes in our experiments, which allow us to obtain statistically meaningful datasets with fewer animals than before.
Refinement: We ensure that conditions in the animal house are the best possible. Implanted animals are housed in large cages (50×50×50 cm) and are handled frequently. We will also make use of enriched environments, which consist of large (2m x 1m) cages full of objects to which the animals are exposed regularly before the start of experiments