Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, SV-BMI-LSENS, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2009 Jan;195(1):91-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01925.x. Epub 2008 Oct 28.
Sensory processing, sensorimotor integration and motor control are amongst the most basic functions of the brain and yet our understanding of how the underlying neuronal networks operate and contribute to behaviour is very limited. The relative simplicity of the mouse whisker sensorimotor system is helpful for detailed quantitative analyses of motor control and perception during active sensory processing. Recent technical advances now allow the measurement of membrane potential in awake-behaving mice, using whole-cell recordings and voltage-sensitive dye imaging. With these recording techniques, it is possible to directly correlate neuronal activity with behaviour. However, in order to obtain causal evidence for the specific contributions of different neuronal networks to behaviour, it is critical to manipulate the system in a highly controlled manner. Advances in molecular neurobiology, gene delivery and mouse genetics provide techniques capable of layer, column and cell-type specific control of gene expression in the mouse neocortex. Over the next years, we anticipate considerable advances in our understanding of brain function through measuring and manipulating neuronal activity with unprecedented precision to probe the molecular and synaptic mechanisms underlying simple forms of active sensory perception and associative learning.
感觉处理、感觉运动整合和运动控制是大脑最基本的功能之一，但我们对其潜在的神经网络如何运作以及如何影响行为的理解还非常有限。老鼠胡须感觉运动系统相对简单，有助于对主动感觉处理过程中的运动控制和感知进行详细的定量分析。最近的技术进步现在允许使用全细胞膜片钳记录和电压敏感染料成像在清醒行为的小鼠中测量膜电位。使用这些记录技术，可以直接将神经元活动与行为相关联。然而，为了获得不同神经元网络对行为的具体贡献的因果证据，以高度受控的方式操纵系统是至关重要的。分子神经生物学、基因传递和小鼠遗传学的进步提供了技术，能够在小鼠大脑皮层中进行层、柱和细胞类型特异性的基因表达控制。在未来几年，我们预计通过以前所未有的精度测量和操纵神经元活动，在理解大脑功能方面将取得重大进展，以探究主动感觉感知和联想学习等简单形式的分子和突触机制。
