Location: Building 35A (Porter 2), Room 610
Time: 3:00-4:00 PM
Hybrid Seminar (In-Person & Virtual)
ZOOM: https://nih.zoomgov.com/j/1606117391?pwd=ZzVNaXE5ZDk4NmNqMkZFN1BYV0g3Zz09
Meeting ID: 160 611 7391
Passcode: 06122020
Description of Research
It is known that the primary sensory cortex contributes to the perceptual decision-making process. Still, a detailed synaptic mechanism explaining the relationship between sensory input and perceptual decision-making remains elucidated. Previously, we demonstrated sensory deprivation restores critical-period-like synaptic plasticity to the barrel cortex in the unilateral infraorbital injury (IO) mice. Therefore, we explored the relationship between adult primary synaptic input and perceptual decision-making in adult IO mice using the head-fixed texture discrimination test and brain slice patch-clamp technique. IO mice learned the spared TC input-mediated perceptual decision-making task more effectively than sham-controls with enhanced perceptual discrimination and prolonged memory retention. This improvement in perceptual learning was intimately correlated with spared TC synaptic efficacy. In addition, activation of TC synaptic plasticity critically contributed to memory retention during the perceptual decision-making process. These results suggest that the reactivation of synaptic plasticity of primary TC input may be involved in perceptual decision-making during adulthood.
Introduction
Seungsoo Chung, Professor at Dept. of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, works in the neuroscience field, focused specifically in synaptic mechanism in adult cortical plasticity using brain slice patch clamp technique. Activity-dependent synaptic plasticity (experience-dependent synaptic plasticity) plays a very important role in constructing neural circuits in the brain and determining their functions. In addition, this activity-dependent synaptic plasticity is known to be robust only during the critical period during the early developmental stage. Still, recent reports suggest that it can be reactivated even after adulthood. In his currently laboratory, they investigate the reactivation mechanism of the thalamocortical circuit in the primary somatosensory cortex in the unilateral peripheral nerve injury model using multimodal research tools such as brain slice patch-clamp recording, in vivo field potential recording, head-fixed texture discrimination behavioural and molecular biological methods. Through this, their study aims to identify a mechanism that can dramatically improve learning/cognitive ability by reactivating the synaptic plasticity of the neocortex in adulthood, when learning/cognitive ability is significantly reduced compared to adolescence.
Direct any question to Kathy Ireland-Pardini, kathyi@mail.nih.gov, 240-426-0098.