“Neural Circuits and Their Modulation Underlying Sensori-motor Function”
Tianyi Mao, PhD
Professor
Vollum Institute
Oregon Health & Science University
Abstract: My laboratory is interested in elucidating the structure-function relationship of brain circuitry underlying sensori-motor integration and understanding how these circuits are changed and modulated by disease, brain state and behavioral context. We use cutting-edge technology including modern anatomy, imaging, computation, genetics, functional circuit mapping in the mouse model to examine the principles governing neuronal connectivity and their regulation. In parallel, my laboratory also develop and implement novel imaging tools and computational algorithms for monitoring and manipulation of these circuits. In this seminar, I plan to briefly discuss whole brain imaging-based connectomic study of sensori-motor circuits and the modulatory projectome to these circuits. I will then present two examples of how to utilize such mesoscopic connectome to study circuit function and their modulation. The first example is a thalamo-cortico-dorsal striatal circuit in opioid modulation by combing connectome with in vivo PKA/cAMP imaging. The second example is to understand how long-range inputs and diverse cell types are integrated in the mouse insular cortex to process interoception information.