Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Fontanini, Alfredo | Maffei, Arianna | Wollmuth, Lonnie | Matthews, Gary G. | Nugent, Fereshteh.
Date
2014-12-01
Keywords
Neurosciences | Lateral geniculate nucleus, Primary visual cortex, Thalamocortical
Department
Department of Neuroscience.
Language
en_US
Source
This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76583
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is the region of the thalamus that innervates and relays sensory information to the primary visual cortex (V1). Thalamocortical (TC) input from the LGN drives the activity of V1, and underlies the health and function of the visual system. However, little is known about the synaptic properties of this input. LGN inputs innervate two layers, layer 4 (L4) and layer 6 (L6). This input has been examined functionally and anatomically, but the synaptic mechanisms of this input are poorly understood. The anatomy of the projection from the LGN to V1 encumbers the preparation of an acute thalamocortical slice, thus direct electrophysiological investigations of TC synapses onto V1 neurons have not been done. In this study, I use optogenetics to selectively activate TC terminals in an acute slice preparation containing V1 and recorded postsynaptic currents from V1 neurons to investigate TC synaptic properties. I show that TC inputs to V1 have layer-specific synaptic properties, organization, and experience dependence. I have shown that TC inputs to L4, which receives the largest LGN projection, have target cell-type specific properties which are mediated by distinct pre-and postsynaptic mechanisms. Finally, I have shown a novel mechanism of feedback from the V1 circuit onto TC synapses, which is mediated by presynaptic GABAA receptors on TC terminals. Taken together, these results outline mechanisms for TC activation of the V1 circuit. | 137 pages
Recommended Citation
Kloc, Michelle, "Thalamocortical Input to the Primary Visual Cortex" (2014). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 2477.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/2477