Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Fontanini, Alfredo | Role, Lorna | Shea, Steve | LaCamera, Giancarlo. | Laubach, Mark.
Date
2017-08-01
Keywords
Neurosciences | Cortex | Gustatory | inhibitory | Laminar | licking | pyramidal
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/11401/78330
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
The primary gustatory cortex is the cortical region devoted to processing taste. The gustatory cortex receives a wide range of projections from brain regions involved in sensory, limbic and cognitive functions. The functional properties of gustatory cortical neurons reflect this complex anatomical connectivity, encoding taste, sensorimotor, hedonic and anticipatory components of taste stimuli. No study to date has addressed whether there are differences in the functional properties of cortical neurons belonging to distinct layers and cell types. To address this question, I have performed a series of experiments using tract tracing and extracellular electrophysiological methods in mice. I demonstrate that in licking animals, firing rates of gustatory cortex neurons are modulated prior to the arrival of taste stimuli and this pre-stimulus modulation is biased to deep layer inhibitory neurons. Furthermore, I show that neurons in deep and superficial layers have distinct firing rates at baseline and stimulus evoked epochs. In the stimulus-evoked period, licking activity structures the activity of gustatory cortex where a subset of pyramidal neurons shows precise action potential timing within the lick cycles. Finally, I show that neurons that display pre-stimulus modulations and licking rhythm dependent activity can encode taste information. Together, the work presented in this dissertation provides fundamental insights into the distinct functional properties of gustatory cortex neurons belonging to distinct lamina and cell types. | 88 pages
Recommended Citation
Dikecligil, Gulce Nazli, "Layer and Cell Type Specific Functional Properties of Gustatory Cortex Neurons" (2017). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 3824.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/3824