CiNet Monthly Seminar

March 6, 2017
16:00 ~ 17:00
at CiNet　1F　Conference Room

“Projection-specific regulation of large-scale sensorimotor signaling in the neocortex”

Takayuki Yamashita
Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University
PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency
http://www.yamashitalab.org/

Host :  Nobuhiro Hagura (Ikegaya Group)

Abstract:
How sensory information is processed in parallel by distributed neural circuits in the neocortex remains largely unknown. By making in vivo whole-cell recordings in primary somatosensory barrel cortex (S1) of awake behaving mice, I have investigated how S1 neurons projecting to primary motor cortex (M1-p neurons) and those projecting to secondary somatosensory cortex (S2-p neurons) compute incoming sensory information and generate functionally-tuned signal outputs. My recordings revealed that M1-p and S2-p neurons had distinct intrinsic membrane properties and exhibited markedly different membrane potential dynamics during behavior. Most strikingly, M1-p neurons rapidly and transiently signal onset of tactile input, whereas S2-p neurons summate synaptic input, signaling repetitive touch (Ref. 1). Recently I have examined learning-induced changes in membrane potential dynamics of M1-p and S2-p neurons using thirsty mice that learned to lick for water reward after whisker stimulation (Ref. 2). Through training of the task, long-lasting biphasic depolarization became correlated with task performance in S2-p, but not M1-p neurons. Furthermore, after task learning, a lick-related depolarization was emerged in S2-p, not M1-p, neurons. My data highlight the cellular basis of pathway-specific generation of large-scale sensorimotor signals in the neocortex during behavior.

References:
1. Yamashita et al. (2013) Neuron 80, 1477-1490.
2. Yamashita & Petersen (2016) eLife 5, e15798.

About CiNet’s Monthly Seminar:
In CiNet Monthly Seminar, distinguished external (national and international) speakers will give a lecture about their latest work. The lecture will be held once a month from 16:00 at the CiNet main lecture theatre, followed by an informal discussion in the coffee room. List of speakers will be announced in advance. Everyone is welcome to attend, and welcome to join the after seminar discussion.

Coming up:
# 6  April 14 (Fri.): Functional engineering of astrocytes and mind
Ko MATSUI, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University

# 7  May 15 (Mon.): TBA
Kazuhiko SEKI, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry

# 8  June 5 (Mon.): TBA
Fang FANG, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University

# 9  July 28 (Fri.): TBA
Katsu YAMANE, Disney Research

#10  August 4 (Fri.): TBA
Masanori MATSUZAKI, Gradual School of Medicine, Tokyo University

#11  September 22 (Fri.): Prefrontal Cortex and Conscious Perception
Hakwan LAU, Department of Psychology (Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience) & Brain Research Institute, UCLA

#12  October 13 (Fri.): TBA
Ralph ADOLPHS, California Institute of Technology