Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EnlightenedLoom (Multimodal optical interrogation of neural activity and neuromodulation during sequence processing)
Período documentado: 2021-10-16 hasta 2023-10-15
1. Familiarize with optogenetics tools developed in the hosting laboratory by supporting in vivo 2-photon holography experiments led by a fellow researcher. This task has been instrumental for the work described in WP2;
2. Design, develop and test a novel behavioural set up for the presentation of familiar and unexpected tactile sequences in awake mice passively touching the tactile objects. This task was necessary before developing the behavioural paradigm for sensory learning, and was part of WP1
3. Carry out experiments investigating sensory processing of expected and unexpected stimuli in the S1 of awake passive animals. This task was carried out until the last month of my fellowship and was part of WP1;
4. Analysis of the data produced in point 3. Part of WP1 and WP3.
5. Design, develop and test a novel behavioural set up for the presentation of sensory sequences in the context of a sensory-guided perceptual task (2 alternative forced choice task). This is part of WP1
6. Carry out two-photon imaging experiments using a novel noradrenaline sensor in the S1 of mice engaged in a sensory detection task. Design of tailored data analysis pipeline. Part of WP1 and WP2
7. Close interaction with the developers of Information Theoretic measures and analysis of data I produced before the start of my fellowship. Instrumental for WP3.
8. Dissemination of project and results through seminars, posters and peer-reviewed publications.
1) My contribution to the development of a new toolbox for analysis of two-photon calcium imaging and two-photon optogenetics experiments is part of the following paper published on Nature Communications: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29180-0
2) The outcomes of the first ever application of Information Theoretic measures to the study of sensory perception in S1 using two-photon calcium imaging is currently deposited on BioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.04.518156v1
Further dissemination of the two-photon imaging data I produced has been carried out through two invited seminars.
- Invited talk 2023 Meeting of the Italian Society for Neuroscience (September 2023, Turin)
- Invited talk University of Sussex, Neuroscience Department (June 2023, Brighton, UK)
Finally, I have presented the work carried out by the hosting laboratory, including my work, at the following events:
- European Researchers’ Night 2021 (Genova, September 2021)
- Festival della Scienza di Genova 2021 (Genova, October 2021)
- European Researchers’ Night 2023 (Genova, September 2023)
- Festival della Scienza di Genova 2023 (Genova, October 2023)
In particular, the research I carried out impacts future work trying to 1) include the contribution of neuromodulation to the processing of information along the sensory pathways; 2) use multi-disciplinary theoretic frameworks to aid the design and the analysis of large-scale recordings.
The following aspects of my research will pave the way for novel perspectives on cortical function, and will have a significant impact on the neuroscientific community:
1) The two-photon calcium imaging data I produced will constitute a new reference in the investigation of cortical sensory processing. The paradigm can potentially be deployed by the many international laboratories working on similar topics;
2) By applying Information Theory to the study of primary somatosensory cortex for the first time, I have obtained results that offer a new perspective on the role of sensory cortex in information processing. In the short term, they will be a reference for new studies deepening the understanding of primary cortex in new, more complex experimental contexts. In the long run, they will constitute the basis for understanding the role played by these regions in neurological conditions and design targeted intervention towards them;
3) The molecular probes I used in my experiments are a novel, powerful tool for studying the interaction between spiking activity and neuromodulation in real time and at an unprecedented spatial resolution. These results represent a precious reference for those in the neuroscience community who will want to adopt the same molecules.